This Mortal Coil
by Guilty Memory
Summary: Venom is still mourning Zato's death. So much so, that he cannot run the guild as properly as he should. But....is there still a way for Zato to come back? Dizzy may well be the answer to his prayers. And, why is Sol chasing after Testament instead of Ky?
1. Reflections

"This Mortal Coil"

By Guilty Memory

**-Chapter 1: _Reflection_-**

Venom sighed as he stared blankly into the darkness ahead of him. The Assassins Guild was still running. And he was still the head of it. Another exhale of breath was given as Venom's head hung low, his ivory strands hiding the sorrow from the rest of existence while he sat upon the throne that he felt he did not deserve now.

"Master Zato," he whispered quietly…faintly. That was all Zato was now: A mere whisper. The Beast had taken him away—defiled his body! And…Venom was the one who'd taken the liberty of freeing Zato from his parasitic prison. Slayer had stopped speaking to him as well. Good. The immortal bastard could never replace Zato, anyway, even though Slayer probably thought he could. But, even if he did, Venom still wouldn't allow it.

"Master Zato…I have not failed you…have I?" Venom again croaked, his voice echoing faintly through the now dead halls of the Guild's manor.

"Do you think you have failed him? By not only killing him, but taking away his title as well?"

Venom's head rose quickly, and his eyes widened only in the slightest.

"What do you want, old man?" he questioned, knowing already who it was.

"For you to stop mourning Zato. He's dead. Nothing can bring him back," Slayer said frankly. Venom's tongue was bitten upon almost instantly. How dare he!

"Simply because of the fact that Master Zato is no longer with us in this life does not make it just to forget him and his role in the Assassin's Guild!" Venom spat instantly. Slayer chuckled. Venom was so loyal to his master, even in death. But why?

"Why are you still so loyal to Zato? Loyalty would not drive you to wipe every smidgen of evil from his name," he said, smirking slightly. Venom growled gently, his dove strands now only revealing one bright blue ocular of anger.

"I am not saying that Zato is or ever was pure or innocent. Neither am I. We were assassins, and that cannot be wiped from our names—but Zato _did_ care about those within this Guild, as well as others that were not upon his list of victims. And to accuse him of anything other than what is true—THAT is something that I will not allow!" Venom yelled. Slayer laughed now, shaking his head some before looking up into a window, so that he could admire the moonlight.

"I see. Then is it not true that you and Zato were once dear lovers?" he sneered, glancing briefly in Venom's direction. Venom said nothing a moment, but then turned his head slightly before closing his eyes.

"Zato and I were, yes, at one point beyond comradeship. You could call it love. But then we found that emotions were beginning to destroy us."

"If this is so, then why were the both of you still so loyal to one another's hearts? You tried to assassinate Millia—both of you, together—and you both still remained so close even within times of assignment. He always cared, and so did you. That's why you went after him when you found out that The Beast was beginning to kill him."

Venom fell silent once more, wanting to turn back the clock and fix everything so that it could be the way that it once was. But that never would happen. Zato…was dead. He did it himself. And what was done…was done.

"….Why must you torment me! Does this amuse you to see me—VENOM—in anguish?! Does it?! It was hard enough to take Zato's life with my own bare hands—let alone live without him and take over The Guild and keep it alive!! Let me suffer in peace, old man!! That is all I ask! Now leave me!!" Venom ordered. Now it was Slayer's turn to fall silent. He closed his eyes and sighed gently before he spoke once more.

"Know this: Zato is satisfied, knowing that it was you who freed him from The Beast's embrace. I suppose that I will never be able to sympathize with you because of the fact that I am indeed a nightwalker, and that Sharon is too immortal. Thus, I will not know heartache, even if she is to die."

Slayer watched Venom's composure fall limp gently, like a wilted flower. He was hurting even more.

"Still know that—"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP **SHUT UP**! I don't want to hear another word!" Venom roared, slamming his fist down upon the arm of the throne. Slayer smirked lightly, then turned his back on Venom.

"Zato…watch your rose. It is beginning to wilt, leaving nothing but the thorns behind," he whispered before the shadows took him away within them, and he disappeared entirely. Venom drew in a sharp breath, and clenched his fists. Why did it have to be like this?! Why?! His teeth clenched hard as he growled underneath his breath, and he forced the single eye that was not hidden by those white strands to stare ahead of him directly. What met his gaze was the moon, glowing through a window high within the manor. He and Zato used to admire it together, silently. Sometimes hand in hand when no one was around. Other times they'd stand out on one of the balconies. Zato would be poised wistfully, hand cupping his chin as he looked at the moon as it lingered, suspended in space…so close…yet…so far. And Venom himself would be beside him, poised in the same manner. Venom sighed, shaking his head to snap out of the memory.

"Zato…I wonder…where would our souls rest? Heaven…would they welcome us? Or would Hell be better suited?" he questioned the emptiness that surrounded him. No answers came. Would both of them reject them? Venom again sighed.

"I will be there, soon…wherever you are, Master Zato…"

-

Dizzy sat upon a tree branch, admiring the night sky along with Bridget and May, smiling to herself for once. Right now, nothing seemed wrong in her midst. Bridget swung his legs to and fro absent mindedly, playing with his yo-yo, while May seemed lost in her own little world.

"Dizzy….the stars seem so lively today, don't they?" May asked finally. Dizzy nodded in agreement, her tail swaying slightly as well. Bridget stopped playing with his yo-yo to look at the stars a moment, then looked at Dizzy and May.

"They're so far away, though…how can you tell if they're lively or not?" he asked. Dizzy sighed gently before she spoke.

"It doesn't matter how far away something is…it's just the beauty of it and its significance that enraptures us all and makes us admire it so much," she said. Bridget looked confused a moment before returning to his task of playing with the yo-yo.

"Well, I still think they're really small," he said. Dizzy chuckled faintly, while May rolled her eyes gently.

"Hey, Dizzy, what do you think happened to everyone else? Like that bald guy and that scary man that was always twisted odd ways and screamed a lot?" May asked finally. Dizzy shrugged gently.

"I don't know. I _do _know that Testament is back in the forest, protecting it for me, and that the assassins went back to their old ways….although…one of them…he seemed so sad. I could feel it…but I don't know why…"

May looked at her, blinking some, and then raised a hand to prop her cheek up in, for she too began to wonder about the few assassins that she ran into. There were many of them…but after everything was over…not all of them were together, as before.

"Yeah. Wasn't there a guy in black that was affiliated with them? He was kinda weird—like a living shadow?"

Bridget hopped to his feet upon the branch, demonstrating his superb balance as he began to remember as well the living shadow.

"I REMEMBER THE SHADOW MAN! He was so scary! It was like he was dead, but he was alive at the same time! It was freaking me out."

Dizzy and May looked at Bridget, and then at each other.

"Do you think somebody could have killed him?" May asked. Dizzy nodded gently.

"I used to be able to feel his presence…it was so odd…cold…scary…but after everything, I couldn't feel him anymore. But what bothers me the most is that of all the other assassins, I could feel a lot of suffering and regret in one of their hearts. I couldn't pinpoint it then, but now that I think about it, I think it was the guy that used a pool stick in battle. He seemed like the type to care about something like that, because the others seemed heartless…but him..I know it was him…that's probably why he wears his hair in front of his entire face, leaving that eye pattern in blue on the front. He doesn't want everyone to know that he has feelings…or that he cares about whatever that shadow creature was…whoever it was," Dizzy concluded. Bridget thought on what was said before he sat back down on the tree branch, now rolling the yo-yo in between his fingers.

"You know…now that you mention it…I think that shadow guy really did have something to do with those assassins…whenever one came, another followed, and I think it was that guy with the pool stick," Bridget commented, tilting his head slightly. Dizzy fell silent for a long time. She began to reflect on everything that had happened. From her confrontations with bounty hunters to the likes of I-no. And through it all, only the formless shadow and the sorrowed heart of the assassin with the pool cue stood out the most in her heart. Why were they so significant now, rather than then?

_They haunt you, don't they? The spirits of those who suffer, whether they live or die, they disrupt you, don't they?_

It was the voice of Necro from within, echoing through Dizzy as she remained quiet, though spoke silently to the carrier of death.

_…Necro…don't say that. They don't hurt me at all..but…I can't help but to feel sorry for them…because…they hurt on the inside so badly, but they never want to tell anyone how they feel out of pride._

_Why do you pity them, when they hate you?! You should do as Testament would and end their miserable lives!_

_Necro, that's enough!_

No more came from the evil entity inside of Dizzy. For a moment, Dizzy herself was shocked at the way her own interior tone demanded obedience from Necro…and that he obeyed. Shaking off the feeling, she pushed herself off of the branch and used her wings to float gently to the ground. Looking up into the tree where Bridget and May still perched upon, she waved at the both of them and smiled.

"Where are you going, Dizzy?" Bridget asked. Dizzy smiled even more.

"To end the sadness of a lonesome man's heart," she said, and turned to disappear within the forest.

-

Slayer emerged from his coffin, his golden hues of wisdom filtering the night as though it were day. Reaching for his pipe that lay on a small stand nearby, he rose fully to his feet. Pipe gripped in the left of hand, he began to float along the floors of the manor, slithering quietly down the stairs as the air guided his slow footsteps. Once he reached the bottom floor, he noticed the scent of blood. His instincts instantly led him to believe that it would have something to do with Venom. Since the death of Zato, it seemed as if Venom would never get over his death. Now was a time to see if he was correct on that mental evaluation of the solitary assassin. Following the increasingly heavy scent of blood, Slayer found the source…but surprisingly, he was not surprised at what he had found. Venom still sat upon the throne, his visible eye closed in a sleeping state. But what lay in a crumpled heap in front of him was the body of Millia Rage. Slayer slowly clapped as he approached the both of them.

"What is this? Ridding yourself of the one that could have taken away dear Zato when he was still living?" he asked, amused. Venom's visible eye shot open almost instantly.

"What has happened is her own fault," he murmured. "But it was not intentional to take her life."

"Then what was it, if vengeance—no, jealousy—did not drive you to end her life? Though…it had to end by our hand eventually…"

Venom said nothing a moment, then drew in a sharp breath.

"She spoke ill of Zato…not only that, but dared to attempt to end this guild's life," Venom said plainly. Slayer nodded.

"Understood. But still…give her a renegade's burial…"

Venom nodded, pushing himself from the throne, and picked up Millia's body. Carrying it outside of the manor until he found a decent ditch, he tossed her body therein, and began to push the earth over her body with the dual power of his trusty pool stick and mental ability. Once she was covered fully, he turned his back on her fresh grave, closed his eyes, and walked back toward the manor. As he returned to the empty throne, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Feathers…both clack and white..

"Hm..?" he murmured, picking a raven feather up from the ground before examining it.

"I am here to calm your saddened heart.." a voice echoed through the manor. Venom said nothing in reply, and looked around before continuing toward the throne.

"You may say nothing, but I know you still are in mourning," the voice continued. Venom still ignored it, seeping into silence even more.

"Why are you doing this to yourself? I know you mourn him, still!"' the voice continued. Venom finally responded. His voice was low…cracked…as the sorrow was beginning to surface, but slowly.

"Why do you do this to me? He is no longer with me in this life..it is to be accepted!" Venom protested. The owner of the voice showed herself, appearing from the air and shadows around him. Her wings, one of dove while the other was of raven, flickered gently in her appearance. Venom looked at her.

"Gear. What is it that compels you to bother me this time of night?" he demanded. The Gear shook her head.

"Your sorrow brought me to you. I want you to be happy again…and that is why I must know the truth behind your sadness. It is because you were forced to end his life, is it not?" she asked. Venom said nothing.

"I see…your silence leads me to believe so…but…what if I could mend your pain-filled heart?" she asked. Venom spoke once more, still low and broken in tone slightly.

"There is nothing that can fill the emptiness that is inside of me," he said bitterly. The Gear stepped forward, and offered her hand.

"If you want to feel as you did before, come with me," she said. Venom looked at her hand, then at her.

"I am sorry…but there is no one that can replace Zato," he said sadly. The Gear smiled warmly.

"No one will replace Zato, silly. He will return for you…if only you will trust me," she said. Venom's heart pulsated. His eyes narrowed gently as the inner joy bombarded him. Though still..he dare not show it. The Gear chuckled faintly, and took his hand in hers.

"Don't try to hide your happiness. I can still feel your soul rejoicing! Ha ha…it's good to know that you're happier..that is another less lonesome and saddened heart in this world," she said.

"Oh.!! I am so sorry! I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Dizzy," The Gear said. Venom nodded.

"I understand…and I am called Venom, Dizzy. What you say…of Zato…how is such a thing possible?" Venom was compelled to ask. Dizzy chuckled once more.

"I am able to do it because…of the simple fact that I want to use my powers for good. To save people and mend their hearts. I have control over my power fully, now…and…I want everyone to be happy…and not to hate Gears or each other..and not know death and sickness. I want..I want to cure this planet's evil cancer! And I know that I can if I just try!" Dizzy declared. Venom nodded.

"I am to be your first experiment then?" he asked, almost wearily. Dizzy nodded.

"Yes, but do not worry. I will have help," she reassured him, while simultaneously gaining the aid of Necro from within.

"Why must I come with you?" Venom asked. Dizzy bit her lower lip gently before speaking softly.

"Because…I need you to take me to his grave."

-End Ch 1-


	2. Restoration

**-Chapter 2: _Restoration_-**

Slayer relaxed comfortably within his office chair, biting down gently upon his pipe. It had been at least six hours now since the unexplained disappearance of the "self-proclaimed" leader, Venom. Frankly, the nightwalker could care less about the prideful bastard, let alone his whereabouts. But, as the Guild's former chieftain, he would have to track down Venom, whether he liked it or not.

"Sharon," he murmured gently as his eyes watched the dusk slowly descend into the mountains far from the manor.

"Yes, my love?" Sharon replied almost shyly as she appeared in his doorway. Slayer stood up from his seat, walked around his desk, and began to seep into a nearby shadow.

"I am going out for a while. It seems one of ours decided to take an early leave. Would you mind dealing with any business concerning me while I am away?" his voice echoed as he disappeared. Sharon nodded as if he were right there before her.

"Yes, dear. I will take care of everything," she whispered.

-

Johnny looked at his watch a moment as he stood out on the Jellyfish, watching the sun melt away and leave behind a deep reddish purple hue in its wake. Dizzy had been gone for some time now, and he was beginning to worry. Not only about her, but about his own life as well.

"Where is Dizzy?" A dark, haunting tone split through the air. Johnny yelped, spinning on heel to turn around and see who it was that had spoken so abruptly, derailing his train of thought. It was Testament; his ghostly figure standing upright as a raven perched upon his shoulder, glaring at Johnny as well. Johnny murmured feebly underneath his breath.

"Gah!..Oh..you see—."

"Where is Dizzy?! Have you lost her **again**?!" Testament bellowed. Johnny could feel a cold sweat beginning to break out upon his face.

"Jeez, man let me finish! She left earlier without warning. May told me that she said something about helping mend some sad guy's heart," Johnny finally uttered. Testament closed his eyes, sighed, and rested a pale hand on his forehead.

"I **knew** I shouldn't have left you humans as her caretakers," he muttered. Johnny's brow arched.

"Yeah right! Like you could have done better!" he yelled. "Dizzy means a lot to us, Testament. But we can't keep her caged in up here like an animal, for cryin' out loud! If she wants to do something alone, we should let her, don't you think?!" Testament sighed and turned his back on Johnny.

"Very well. Do as you will. But if I find that any harm has come to her, all of you are to suffer," he threatened. Johnny sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, I hear ya," he muttered. Testament began to walk towards the bow of the Jellyfish, the raven on his shoulder shrieking every now and then before leaving its perch. Johnny watched him leap from it and transform into nothingness before turning back around to watch the sky.

_Dizzy...hurry up..._

-

Testament sat down upon the ground, sweeping the dust off of his boots before tilting his head back upon a rock, which served as a pillow for the moment. Exhaling gently, he closed his eyes a moment before opening them again, and looked at the night sky. A cold breeze swept over him suddenly, forcing him to sit up abruptly and tend to the flickering flame that was too annoyed by the wind. Silence again. Testament loved it...other times, an odd feeling of loneliness and wanting to rid himself of it would occur, and he'd still cast it aside.

"Do you like feeling like shit?" a gruff voice asked, forcing Testament to look up. Sol Badguy?! Why the hell would he be here, of all places?! Testament disregarded his feelings immediately, and looked back down at the ground. To his knowledge, Sol was taken by that Ky Kiske, anyway.

"How I feel has nothing to do with you. If you are here to kill me, Gear Hunter, then do it now," he muttered. "Or rather...attempt to do so," he added. Sol snorted.

"I don't hunt Gears anymore."

Testament's eyes widened slightly. What?! Sol was no longer a Gear hunter? When did this happen?!

"What made you decide to give up such a prestigious duty?" Testament asked, almost mockingly, his pale features seeming to pale even more as he spoke. Sol chuckled.

"A lot of things, but mainly you," he said, his tone and expression not changing their expressionless form. Testament fell silent. Sol still stood over him, looking him over in his slightly lounged state. Testament knew....he could feel his eyes wandering.

"And what of Ky Kiske?" Testament asked abruptly, looking at the dying flame nearby them. Sol again snorted.

"What about him?" Testament sat up finally, then slowly rose to his feet. Meeting Sol's expressionless gaze with one of his own, Testament exhaled harshly, then turned his back on him.

"I thought the both of you....you and Ky...were together," he murmured. Sol chuckled faintly, as if those words were never true.

"Exactly: 'were' together. Things change, Testament."

"I see....and, because of your undying lust, you would rather throw away a man that could be longing for your heart simply to indulge yourself with another?" Testament asked plainly, all the while looking at the ground. Sol scoffed.

"Tch. Lust is indulged upon constantly, with many people. Lust is what I had with Ky, but...my intuition tells me that with you...things are gonna be different," he said, his boastful tone at first dying to a harsh, yet somehow soothing one. Testament could tell the difference, and his black heart was slowly regaining its composure...but...very slowly. In an instant, Testament was pulled back-first into Sol's body, welcomed by nothing but his warmth. Sol breathed into his ear, smiled, and began to whisper into it.

"So _you_ tell _me_. Is this lust to you?" Testament was speechless. So many feelings that were lost when he was transformed into a Gear were slowly beginning to return, one after another! But he dare not show it!

"I would not be able to decide between the two..." Testament confessed. Sol let him go, sighing some, but that smirk still was plastered upon his face.

"Because you've never felt it since your decent into a Gear's world?" he questioned. Testament shook his head, throwing away a fondness that he'd possessed for some time.

"Perhaps," he said finally. Sol chuckled some, and turned around to look at the dead forest that surrounded him.

"So this is your idea of paradise?" he asked. Testament looked at the forest as well, and nodded slowly.

"Yes...as decadent as it is...yes...it is beautiful," he said gently, reminiscing. However, as the memories were returning, voices flooded his audible radar with them. He turned quickly, and began to follow his senses. Sol followed closely behind.

"By the way, I'm still waiting for an answer, Testament," he added.

"To which question?' Testament asked. Sol grinned.

"If you'd consider my offer...and trust me with your heart. I would gladly give mine to you into return," he said, still grinning. Testament, if it were at all possible, would have blushed had it not been for his current state. Still following the voices, the two finally found the source.

"Dizzy," Testament whispered. Sol glanced in his direction a moment before continuing to watch the unfolding events. There was someone else with her. A tall, white-haired man with an odd pattern dyed into the portions of hair that hid most of his face, except for a single eye. He was dressed oddly, and he carried a....pool stick? The two still watched as Dizzy and the man spoke to one another.

"So..where is it?" Dizzy asked. "Right here," the man said sadly.

"I carried his body here after the fight...buried him with..my own hands.." Dizzy looked at the man and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be sad, okay? You did what you had to do..." she said, comforting him as best she could. "Now...Venom...would you mind stepping back a little? Necro will try his best at this," she said, motioning him away from the grave site. Venom did as told,. And watched quietly. Dizzy stepped back a few paces herself, then raised her arms over her head.

"Necro..I ask of you..please...._please_ cure this man of his sadness! Let him see that which he has lost! Wake his soulmate from every plane of existence and bring him here, his own soul and no other's! Free him of his parasites and demons!!" she yelled, her voice echoing throughout the forest as her darker of wings spread forth, and the dark lord was summoned. He released a screech of a howl as the winds picked up from every direction, and rustled the leaves about them in every fashion. Venom raised a hand to protect his sight from the flying debris, and squinted as the wind blew furiously about them. Dizzy began to pant as the winds receded, and Necro returned within his confines. Holding her head, she sighed, and then looked ahead of her. What stood...no...lay before her was the naked body of Zato. Face down, and unmoving. Venom lowered his hand from his face, and what he saw brought tears to the corners of his eyes...though...he could not weep.

"Za...Zato..." he whispered as he rushed to his Master's side, and knelt to touch his shoulder. It was cold at first, but was beginning to slowly heat. Venom wanted to cry for joy...but even that was to be contained at the moment. Hugging the still unconscious body against him, Venom only sighed, rejoicing in this that he'd so long ago lost. Coming to his senses finally, he scooped Zato up into his arms, and turned to face Dizzy.

"We must get him cleaned and clothed quickly!" he said. Dizzy nodded, but before a word could erupt from her lips, another spoke instead.

"We'll take him in," a gruff voice said. Venom and Dizzy turned to locate the owner of the voice.

"Sol.." Dizzy said, nearly surprised, but then was very surprised as another stood and spoke.

"There is reasonable shelter nearby," Testament said as he rose beside Sol. Dizzy was at first speechless, but at the same time wanted to ask so many questions! Noticing the still unclothed and cradled body of Zato in Venom's arms, Dizzy snapped out of her daze.

"R..Right!" she said, following Sol and Testament beside Venom into the forest.

-

May watched as Johnny stormed down a hall, passing her cabin, but then turned back around to enter it.

"Man, where the hell is she?! If we don't get her back, Testament's gonna kill us!!" he yelped. May sighed and returned to watching Bridget's yo- yoing lesson.

"And this is what I call 'loop the loop'!" he said enthusiastically, ordering the yo-yo about with his hands. "See? But it's only really cool when Roger's with me! I left him at home today, though," he said. May nodded, and picked up her own yo-yo; a gift from Bridget.

"Johnny, calm down. She'll come back safe," she said. "Now how do you do this?...Loop the loo—WAH!" May wailed as the yo-yo smacked her in the forehead. Bridget began to giggle uncontrollably. Johnny placed his hand over his face and sighed.

"Oye.." he murmured. Bridget pushed himself off of May's bed and bounded towards Johnny, throwing himself onto him.

"Don't be sad, Johnny! We'll find her!" he yipped cheerfully. Johnny groaned, and pushed Bridget away from him. "Fine, Bridge....but...don't ever jump on me like that again," he muttered, walking out of May's cabin abruptly and returned down the hall. Bridget looked confused a moment before looking at May.

"What'd I do?" he asked. May smirked.

"Something you'll find out about later in life, Bridget. Now, show me another trick. This stupid 'loop the loop' thing isn't working for me," she muttered, rubbing her forehead.

-

Slayer followed his instincts as he slipped expertly through the forest, from shadow to light, effortlessly. He'd picked up Venom's trail a long time ago, but what interested him the most was the scent of renewed death. What had he done now? As these thoughts ran through his mind, Slayer suddenly came to a halt. The stagnant air of death had suddenly been lifted from his nostrils!

"No...it can't be....! This....how.....?!" he uttered. It was an old scent...but he remembered. Zato?! Alive?! No! How could this be?! Slayer exhaled a moment, regaining his senses before continuing through the forest. Zato....this was...impossible!! Venom, what have you done?! Slayer thought to himself as he raced through the shadows and moonlight that decorated the dead forest's floor.

-

Venom watched fondly as Dizzy removed the damp cloth from Zato's forehead. His eyes were closed still, for he had not used them yet, but he was breathing. For the moment, he was given a dress shirt from Venom's own back, and a pair of leather pants that Dizzy had crafted after a long time of practice during Zato's cleansing period. As she wrung the cloth's contents into a wooden pail, Venom approached the still Zato, at first a little cautious, but then became a bit more comfortable as Zato began to take in the sounds around him, and knelt finally beside him.

"....Nn...Where...am I?" he asked, slowly opening his eyes—squinting some to adjust to the exposure of light—and looking around him, and then at the two that were looking back at him. One of them, he was beginning to remember...while the other, he did not know of.

"....Venom..." he whispered almost hoarsely.

"Rest, Master Zato," Venom said gently as he stood from his kneeling position. "You will have a lot to take in, soon..." Venom smiled gently as Zato blinked a few times, then reached out toward him with a hand.

"Am I...dead...Venom?" he asked. Venom smiled and shook his head, the words that came next coming from his heart as his smile widened even more.

"Not anymore, you're not, Master Zato." Dizzy smiled, proud that this was just one step in her quest to end misery. Standing from her kneeling position with the cloth in hand, she left the reunited two alone, and ventured out of the decrepit, poorly lit cabin that belonged to Testament, who could be found outside beside Sol Badguy. Dizzy cleared her throat a moment before speaking.

"Um...Sol...? Testament? I...wanted to ask you two something.." she said cautiously, knowing that Sol's temper could be sparked easily from a past experience in battle. Testament was the one that turned around to face her.

"Yes?" he asked. Dizzy bit her lower lip some, ashamed of her curiosity of the two only for a moment.

"I...I...thought that Sol...was with...Sir Ky?" she managed. No gesture came from Testament nor Sol.

"That's in the past, Dizzy," Sol said, unmoving. Dizzy swallowed hard before the next question came.

"But...Testament?.....I thought that your heart died a long time ago," she said. Testament looked downward a moment before looking at her again, his ghostly features brightened in the moonlight.

"So did I...but...because I was once human....this seems to be untrue..for..my heart...is beginning to fade from a hellish black to crimson...I can feel it.." he admitted. Sol looked at him a moment, then returned to looked at the dead forest ahead. Suddenly, Sol's eyes widened, almost instantaneously as Dizzy and Testament's did.

"Do you feel that?" Dizzy asked the two men as she began to step back slowly. Sol drew forth his blade as he growled lowly.

"Yeah..." he growled. Testament raised an arm, allowing his blood red scythe to take form in his hand. As the trio waited in anticipation, the sound of laughter turned their heads toward the tent, where a tall man stood....old...glasses...was that the nightwalker?!

"Would one of you be so kind as to tell me why Zato is..as my senses inform me...alive?" he asked. Dizzy took a step forward. "Why would it matter to you?" she asked. The man chuckled.

"Because **I** am his leader, madam.." he said, bowing elegantly.

-End Ch 2-


	3. Redemption

**-Chapter 3:_ Redemption_-**

"**_RED HAIL!_**"

A volley of cue balls screamed toward the bowing man, causing him to timely fade into the shadows to avoid them. Venom landed in his absence on a hand and his legs, balancing himself properly before standing.

"Is that your way of fighting, old man?! Run and hide?!" Venom yelled, his visible hue of blue scanning his surroundings.

"Ha ha ha ha! Of course not! I hope you don't plan on killing me, either, Venom. You of all people know that that just is impossible!"

In an instant, Venom was thrown into a nearby tree by an invisible force. But that force soon showed itself, for the nightwalker appeared, Venom in his grasp, as he held him against the tree.

"You were always weak, Venom! Whether Zato was around or not, you were weak nonetheless!" he growled. Testament and Sol were readying to attack, but a motioning from Dizzy bade them otherwise.

"No…no! I have worked too hard for this man's serenity, demon of the shadows!" Dizzy yelled, tears forming in her eyes despite her growing fury. "You are a plague of this earth! You do not deserve to live!" she continued to scream.

_Kill him! Kill him! KILLLL HIIIMMM!_ Necro's inner tone cheered. Dizzy stopped her rage as best she could, but only collapsed to the ground, clasping her face as she wept.

"Necro…you must stop goading me on like this! I will do as I wish! You…you _promised_ me!" she yelled. Slayer smirked.

"Gears….pitiful wastes of time…heh…I really don't see why they even wasted their time creating you," Slayer chuckled as his grasp upon Venom's throat become more tense, causing the white-haired man to clench his teeth. Just as Slayer could feel Venom's strength fading, due to the lack of oxygen, a swirl of white surrounded Slayer, tearing a bloody horizontal gap into his left side, causing him to let go of Venom and back away in shock rather than pain.

"Wha….what is this?!" he shrieked, looking down at the wound, where small entities unable to be identified at the moment continued to break down his flesh and intestines and, later, bone.

"This is the price you pay, nightwalker, for disturbing serenity," a solemn tone responded. Slayer forced himself to turn around and face the possessor of the solemn tone, but with the combination of pain and shock, he could hardly manage. Venom clutched his throat, still regaining his full lung capacity, as he looked onward as well.

"…Zato…?" he uttered. Yes..indeed, it was Zato. Rather than seeing the familiar darkness that was the Beast surrounding him, there was white…could there be another Beast? One of pure origin? As Venom pondered these things, Slayer was continually being consumed by the small entities. Zato sighed as he raised a finger toward Slayer.

"Nightwalker…because I refuse to sink to a level beyond you, I will at least give you the option of leaving the Assassin's guild, regardless of your former position, and, with Sharon, return to your beloved Transylvania."

Slayer gasped a few times as the entities continued to gnaw at his insides, and for once considered Sharon's feelings, rather than his own. She would not want to bear an eternity without him…and he knew this. But…the guild…he….the guild was _his_! Not Zato's and Venom's! How dare they simply decide to order him away and take it for themselves! The pain returned Slayer's mind to the current situation. Live? Or die? Certainly not death. Of course, he could always plot his revenge and return later to kill off Zato and Venom with one fell swoop…and that plan seemed favorable at the moment.

"Fine…fine! I'll…I'll go! Just…stop this insanity!" he finally yelped. The little parasites that were eating him alive melted away, leaving him to regenerate normally. Whatever those little things were, for them to negate his regenerative ability must have taken expert ability! Once his side returned to normal, Slayer glared at everyone around him.

"As I said…I will be taking my leave…but before I go…I want all of you to remember my words," he began as a finger pointed toward the newly revived Zato. "Happiness is but a rush of emotions at once! This man could very well be the plague resurrected by your own selfish desires!!!" he said, grinning afterward and slipping away into the shadows. After they were sure he was gone, Venom looked at Zato, and the swirls of white that danced about him, rather than to pool at his feet as "Eddie" once did.

"Zato…I thought…The Beast…I thought it left you…" he murmured, almost sadly. Dizzy finally rose to her feet, apparently having dealt with Necro once more for the time being.

"I know what happened…Venom….you remember when I said that I wanted to make you happy again? And that I would gain the aid of someone? That someone….is Necro. Necro is…an entity…inside of me. An evil placed into me by the Gearmaker. However…because I have managed to control his power, I decided to ask him to help me cure death and sickness…he agreed, but of course, at a price. This price varies from person to person…for Necro does as he sees fit. Whenever I opt to resurrect someone, I must confer with him. He draws his ability to revive the lost souls from both my better half and my own body. With this energy, he transfers a soul from its current plane of existence into this one, and rejuvenates the dead body fully, to better accommodate the soul. Though I asked him to remove the parasites and demons from your Zato, Necro recently informed me that the parasite was bound to Zato almost permanently, and could not simply be erased via Necro's power. Though at first that sounds saddening, Necro found a way to reverse the effect that The Beast formerly had on Zato. Instead of killing him, and crippling his corpse as done before, Necro managed to reverse the entity entirely, by consuming the negative power for himself—the price for his "services" to Zato—and leaving behind a pure one, one that could very well leave Zato with a longer lifespan than a normal human's."

Venom, along with the others, was dead silent. He looked at Zato almost piteously, wanting to ask so many questions that concerned Zato's personal feelings, but no words dared to form. Zato looked at Dizzy, then at his own hands.

"Am I…to be cursed?" he whispered. Dizzy approached him, taking one of his hands in hers, and sighed.

"No…no…it is a gift…! Never curse abnormalities, as gruesome as they may come to you—never despise them!" she whispered. Zato nodded as if he understood, and stepped away from her. Looking at Venom now, he slowly approached him. Raising a hand that now pulsated with the blood of the living and not of the dead, he gently touched the visible portion of Venom's face.

"For everything I have caused you in the past…pain…..suffering….sadness….I..am sorry, Venom.." he said sadly. During the moment, Venom's eyes were closed gently, yet after those words, they were opened once more.

"For what it is worth…all of the sadness and suffering I have went through…amounts to nothing this moment," he said in return. Dizzy smiled, mostly to herself for her accomplishment, and then inwardly at Necro, for though he could be a pain, this moment between lost soulmates was worth it.

-

Sol sat alone upon a tree trunk, deep inside what Testament called his decrepit paradise. Testament's words were somehow confusing…and he wanted a direct answer. Why would Testament even be concerned about he and Ky's relationship?! That was for him to deal with anyway! He had his reasons for leaving Ky…though…he'd never bothered to mention these things to the police officer. Ky was…not as identifiable as Testament was. To him, Ky was too open and curious. At first, he seemed attracted to that…but now…it was beginning to drive him away. Or…it had driven him away. Testament was more secluded and spiteful—so much like himself, with the exception that he was a tad more social and forthcoming with his thoughts. Testament seemed interested at first…but then had returned to his former life of seclusion suddenly. Was it because of his oath to forever despise those that were the Gears' enemies? But…Sol had already said that he'd given up his profession! Maybe he was lying to both himself and Testament…maybe he wanted to no longer hunt the Gears. Or maybe…he just wanted to tip the scales of Testament's favor towards him a little more?

"….Ah…fuck…" Sol cursed, slamming his palm against his forehead as he slumped forward a little. _What the hell's the matter with you?! Are you a Gear hunter or not?! Make up your fuckin' mind!_ he thought to himself. He'd have to combat these things right now, because he was beginning to really screw things up. **_Bad_**. The cawing of a raven nearby interrupted his chain of thought. Looking over his shoulder, Sol located the bird. But…the raven simply faded into darkness. Shrugging it off, he turned back around to continue contemplation. But, what stood dead ahead was a ghostly…lavender figure. A…female demon. Sol looked her dead in the eye, and spoke quite sternly.

"What the do you want? Birdseed?" he asked with a flicker of his eyes elsewhere. The demon sarcastically smirked.

"No. Just to see what it is that makes my master so special to you," she said. Sol ignored her and stood to his feet. As he turned around to leave, she was found in front of him once more.

"You never answered my question," she said. Sol growled gently.

"Look, it's none of your damn business, wench! Now move!" he ordered. The demon still did not budge.

"Fine. I'll just go through you!" he growled a bit more harshly, grabbing the hilt of his weapon. Yet, as he brought it forth to pierce her body, it phased right through her.

"Just because I can solidify doesn't mean I can't do vice-versa," she said, smiling broadly. Sol, annoyed, retracted his blade, and turned back around to sit on the stump once more.

"Do you plan on answering me?" she asked. Sol snorted.

"No."

"Fine.  I'll just tell my master that you still are a Gear Hunter, and that you were simply fooling him into thinking that you really were interested just so that you could get a better chance of killing him!" she said quite cheerfully. Sol chuckled.

"If I wanted to kill him, that would have been done some time ago," he said plainly. The demon frowned some.

"Oh? Do you really think that Testament, the Lord of Summons, could be so easily defeated?!" she asked, challenging Sol's ego. Sol rolled his eyes.

"Trust me, I would have my ways. Stop trying to coax me, demon. Go back to your perch," he said. The demon pouted, returned to her raven form, and took flight. Left with his beloved, silence, Sol returned to his train of thought.

-

Testament stood beside Dizzy, watching fireflies buzz about them as they stood out in a decadent meadow—the grass yellow and brown, while the nearby water grayed with increased pollution. 

"Testament, why have you set aside your oath…not that I would not mind you doing so…but…this is very unlike you. Of all people…_Sol Badguy_? He is the very epitome of growing hatred between Gear and man!" Dizzy said, looking at Testament, who still watched the fireflies.

"I cannot say what has possessed me, Dizzy. As quick as I would be to kill him…this…'former' Gear Hunter, as he has declared himself…now…this…disgust for him has oddly turned on me…not as an affection…but this odd fondness that I cannot place. As though the both of us are locked in dual hatred for the other's kind are we too locked in solitude. Why he would come to me in the night to offer his heart willingly confuses me…my own dark intuition tells me that he himself is unsure of what he is doing…and that it is impulse, and for me to disregard it. Do not think that I have thrown away my hatred, Dizzy, for it still lingers…but…Sol…it falters gently, enough to where, must I admit, a closeness would be allowed. Through that short closeness, however, it seemed that hatred ordered us apart, for almost instantaneously we were locked apart. By his pushing me away…and my pulling with it…as though we were realizing that we were never to be…because of this hatred in us," he said, watching one firefly's light slowly dwindle into blackness.

"But what do _you_ want, Testament? To be alone forever and die alone? That cannot be what you want!" Dizzy said. "You are my brother, Testament, even though genetically this is invalid…but, I want you to be happy, Testament!"

Testament said nothing a moment…then spoke slowly.

"Dizzy……happiness does not concern me. Though my humanity seems to be deciding on its own at the moment, I will only be left with whatever destiny decides to give me."

Dizzy sighed, accepting Testament's words.

"Okay…but…still…consider it? For me?" she still asked. Testament sighed.

"Very well…" he murmured. Dizzy smiled warmly before turning around to face the cabin, where, outside sat Venom, and inside Zato slept. Approaching Venom, Dizzy waved gently and sat beside him on the ground.

"Still sad?" she asked. Venom shook his head.

"Simply dealing with the revival of someone I thought that I could never see again. Dizzy," Venom began as he turned his head to face her.

"Why do you want to help people, when they have been so cruel to you?" he asked. Dizzy looked down a moment, then spoke as she studied a single dead blade of grass.

"I think…that people just don't understand things that are new to them, and that they become hostile when new things arrive. Because of that, I want to show everyone that all Gears aren't bad. That's why I try to talk to Testament a lot about his quickness to kill a human. He hates them because they are ignorant and cruel, as well as irresponsible…but…I want to show him that they just need a chance. Testament is a little hard at heart…but…I think slowly…very slowly…he is beginning to understand," she said. Venom nodded.

"Ah…I suppose that he cannot comprehend our feelings, either?" he asked. Dizzy nodded.

"Mostly, yes…Testament was once human…but after becoming a Gear, I think he just decided to accept what he called 'the abomination that he is', and with it, make everyone suffer just as he would."

Venom watched Testament walk off into the moonlit distance before sighing and shaking his head.

"Well, Dizzy…..I want to thank you for what you have done for me…for bringing Zato back to life….everything….if ever you need either or both of us, all you need to do is follow your intuition…"

Dizzy nodded and smiled.

"Thank you, Venom," she said. Venom nodded in return.

"And…for starters…in the morning, we should help you get home….wherever that is…okay?" he said. Dizzy's eyes widened almost instantly.

"Oh my God! Johnny! May! Oh, I know they're so worried! I'm very sorry, but I must be going!!" she said hurriedly as he rose to her feet. Venom blinked a few times.

"Well….if you must go, then I will see you whenever I do, Dizzy," he said, waving her off as she took flight into the night sky.

-

"April! Johnny! Duck!" May ordered as she and Bridget hit the deck floor. Johnny grabbed April as he dove onto the ground as well, avoiding the flying debris as well. The mysterious shockwave had torn into the side of the Jellyfish, sending it sideways a bit.

"That **_BITCH_**! I thought we put her out of her misery a long time ago! She just won't die will she?!" Johnny cursed as he dared to rise after the hit. Laughter met his comment.

"Ha ha ha! I'm not through with you cute little pirates yet!" the amused tone of I-no echoed as someone yelled for the crew to duck again.

**_BOOM!_**

"Waaah!!" Bridget wailed as he tumbled along the floors and skidded into a metal ladder.

"Ow!" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "That mean lady! Ugh! We didn't even do anything to her an' she just attacks us!" he pouted before standing on his feet and proceeding to march toward the source of the explosions.

"Bridget! Wait!" Both May and Johnny yelped as they chased after him.

"Don't be stupid, Bridge! You can't take her out alone!" Johnny yelled. Bridget ignored him and continued on.

_I'm gonna show her! I'm gonna show everyone!!_

-End Ch 3-


	4. Uneasy Hearts

**-Chapter 4: _Uneasy Hearts_-**

            Zato's eyes flickered gently as he slowly opened them. It was early in the morning. Dawn was beginning to creep slowly through the dead forest, despite its thickness. He could feel the warmth of the sun, almost. Sighing, he studied the ragged sheets that he lay upon, and then let his eyes wander over the dying wooden floor. He was formerly of the dead….raised to live once more…yet here he was…among the dead and dying of nature. As he rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling, Venom caught his intended line of sight instead. He wasn't very far…standing nearby with his arms folded over a bare, bronze chest. His face wasn't as hidden as before. Just….his other eye and no more. Their eyes met but only a few seconds…but during that time, it felt like forever. And…it was because of such a lengthy period without one another that Venom took it upon himself to approach Zato, and sit beside his lounged body on the bed.

"How do you feel?" Venom asked as he looked at Zato's regained complexion. Zato chuckled gently, lifting a hand to run it through his own blonde strands before responding.

"Livelier than before…" he said, smirking some. Venom nodded before leaning towards him a little, to the point where the tips of their noses would make contact. Meeting Zato's pale blue gaze with a deep oceanic one of his own after pushing the remainder of those dove strands aside, behind his ear, Venom spoke in the most gentle of tones that he'd possessed—something that Zato'd only experienced in the past twice.

"I didn't think that I would be able to carry on without you, Zato," he confessed. 

"How long were you able to?" Zato inquired. Venom blinked a few times as his gaze drifted momentarily, but then returned to Zato as he moved in a bit closer, whispering now.

"Time would not be able to tell me…for any period without feeling your soul's presence would be a heartache…"

Zato nodded, unmoving as Venom lifted a hand, separating their breaths in the process, to run a thumb over the lower portion of flesh that was Zato's lower lip. The remaining fingers caressed his cheek as Venom began to speak once more, gently pulling his hand away in the process.

"My joy knows no bounds now that you've returned to me, Zato," Venom whispered. Zato sighed a moment before he shifted his body upward some, and in the process captured the lower lip of Venom's within the rose flesh of his own. Venom, in reply, returned the favor a bit more generously, tilting his head some to better accommodate the both of them. After that, it was Zato who decided to break the kiss that the both of them had longed for, and sighed, caressing the portion of Venom's face that once was not visible due to the dove strands that hid it.

"I cannot decide…whether you are more beautiful now than before….or if you were always beautiful, and it was I that did not cherish it as much as I should have," Zato said, smiling gently. Venom returned the favor.

"Either way….you always were and still are beautiful in my eyes," he stated honestly, welcoming Zato into his arms as they shared an embrace not given to one another in what felt like forever…and stayed in that state for a few minutes before letting go. Zato looked at Venom a moment before pushing himself out of bed.

"We will…properly convey our affections once we return to the manor and explain this expulsion of Slayer to the others…agreed?" he said as he watched the sunlight melt through the forest and onto the forest floor. Venom nodded as he pushed himself off of the bed as well, taking his pool stick in hand.

"Agreed."

-

I-no panted as she wiped the smidge of blood from her temple.

"You little bastard! You honestly think you can beat _me_ with a damn yo-yo?!" she yelled. Bridget panted as he wobbled some on his legs. The yo-yo was still clasped firmly in his hand, but by the bruises here and there on his legs and face, one would deduce that he was beginning to falter. I-no grinned as she charged toward him, guitar ready to impale the child and finish him off. Johnny and May were trapped by debris that had thrown them below the deck and down into the halls, and had sealed them in for the moment. I-no dared the rest of the crew to attempt to free them while she dealt with the arrogant choirboy who obviously did not know his place. As she charged towards him, Bridget mustered the remainder of his strength for one last attempt.

"Ahh!…This is for the Jellyfish Pirates! **_SHOOT THE MOON!!!!_**" he yelled, hurling his yo-yo at her. I-no scoffed and quickly dodged it.

"Pitiful. Let's see how pretty you are on the inside, little boy!" she sneered as she shoved the guitar forward.

"_Nnnnaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!"_

Light swarmed around the both of them as Dizzy screamed. The mediocre-sized orbs charged toward I-no, sending her on a path of pain that never seemed to stop. Her skin seared, leaving blackened markings as the attack continued.

"N—wha—AHHHH!!!" she screamed as her body was consumed entirely by the white mass. Afterward, only a guitar pick left evidence of her existence. Dizzy panted as she managed to stand on her feet again.

"Bridget…are you okay?" she asked. Nothing came from the normally open boy. He lay in a crumpled form on the ground, blood beginning to pool around him.

"…Bridget..?" Dizzy again whispered, slowly approaching the boy. No response still. Kneeling at the side of the boy's body, Dizzy, rested her hands over those of Bridget's, and bit her lower lip.

"Bridge….Bridget…..what were you thinking…….?" She said slowly, tears rolling down her cheeks as she did so. Necro! Necro brought Zato to life!!! He could do the same for Bridget!

Necro……Necro, please help us! Bridget is dead! You can't let this happen! Necro, please!!

The dark entity from with said nothing in return. Dizzy was beginning to cry even more.

_Necro, please! I don't want him to be like this! He's my friend! Please be considerate, Necro!! _

_What do I have to gain from this?_

A response! Dizzy looked at Bridget's body once more…what could Necro want from a boy as innocent as this one?

He isn't evil…he is pure and innocent! He never wanted to die! He wanted to protect everyone, Necro! Please, do something!

I have nothing to gain… 

Dizzy was becoming angry now. Her face pinked with her growing fury as she suddenly voiced her thoughts in a screaming madness.

"Necro! I will destroy myself if it will destroy you! You selfish demon! Save Bridget! PLEASE! Please….save him…" she cried, weeping over the boy's body.

"What happened?" May asked as she approached them, but soon gasped at the sight of Bridget. Johnny, following behind, stopped as well.

"Bridge.." he whispered faintly. May began to cry now as well.

"Johnny, why wouldn't he listen!! Why'd he have to try and fight her?! He didn't have to!" May sobbed. Johnny held her close as he watched Dizzy weep over the body of Bridget as well. Finally, a twinkle of light sparked on one of the tips of Dizzy's wings…the…better half. The visage of a saddened woman appeared by Dizzy's side, and looked over the situation. Fading away gently afterward, Dizzy could feel the two entities inside of her feuding.

Necro, you got what you wanted the first time! Grant her this one wish! You receive power from her to revive in the process—why should a price matter to you during a crucial situation as this?

I need the negative energy to revive a soul…I'm nearly depleted fully right now.

Then I will give more of my own power!!

….Very well, if it will quiet you…

Dizzy gasped as the winds began to pick up violently from every direction as it had before…but…more violently. She could feel power…..more of it, rather….being drained from her better entity. As the winds receded, the blood around Bridget remained. May blinked a few times.

"What happened?" she asked. Dizzy looked at Bridget's still unmoving body.

"I…I don't know…" she said honestly.

"Why is….everyone sad? Bridget's here…everyone should smile…" Bridget said weakly before coughing. May gasped before hugging Bridget tightly.

"YOU'RE BACK!!!" she yelped.

"I am? From what?" Bridget asked, then looked down at the pool of blood around him, and then at his bloodstained clothing.

"Aaah! Why am I bloody?! What happened?! Did we win!?!" he asked, a bit scared. Johnny smiled as he looked at Dizzy.

"You're fine, kid…you just kicked I-no's ass so much, that you passed out and it was so funny that it made us cry. That's probably her blood, anyway," he said, grinning. May looked at Johnny, but then understood, and smiled broadly.

"Yeah!" she said. Bridget began to giggle and hopped to his feet, tackling Johnny yet again and yipping happily.

"See! I told you!"

"..Ah! Heh…right, kid. You told me.." Johnny said with a smirk, giving up on his rule concerning being tackled by the cheerful boy. Dizzy smiled, wiping away her tears in the process, and sighed.

Thank you, Necro…

-

Sharon bit her lower lip as she waited for her husband within his office chair. It had been far too long! He never took this much time before. Just as she was building up the nerve to search for him herself, a gruff voice pierced the silence within her husband's office.

"Sharon, my dear…I have terrible news."

"Slayer!" Sharon yelped as she quickly rose from his chair, and rushed to greet him. Slayer met her with a calm, gentle hug before slowly striding towards his desk, and around to his office chair. Once seated comfortably, he sighed, looking up at Sharon, who had followed and was standing in front of him, waiting silently to hear whatever terrible news that there was to bear.

"Sharon…my dear….I'm afraid that we will have to leave this guild for a time," he said weakly. Sharon blinked a few times.

"What? Why?" she asked. Slayer turned his head elsewhere a moment before he could speak.

"Venom…has revived Zato…and they are overthrowing me…or…already have overthrown me," he murmured. Sharon gasped, and slowly began to become angry.

"Why! You were like their father in this guild! And—wait—Zato? I thought Venom killed him?" she said, a bit confused. Slayer nodded in agreement.

"He did. And Millia Rage, too. But then, why is Zato alive and not Millia? Something is amiss…and I suspect that Venom has been planning to do this all along…and has been deceiving me his entire time!" he quickly deduced, slamming his fist down upon the arm of the chair. "Damn him!" he cursed. Sharon was still wondering about the possibility of Zato's being revived.

"My love…what if…what if you allowed me to research the possibilities of Zato's being risen from the dead? Maybe then…we could straighten this all out…and discover Venom's true motives for resurrecting him.." she said, looking her husband in the eye. Slayer, in turn, nodded once more.

"Granted…just…be careful Sharon. There are Gears almost everywhere these days," he said with a sigh. Sharon smiled.

"I'll be fine," she said.

-

Testament stood silently out on the edge of a cliff, watching the storm clouds billow over portions of the living forest so far away from the decadent one that he'd come to call home. The raven was perched on the tip of his red scythe, which served as a staff of sorts at the moment. Closing his eyes, Testament began to reflect on his life as a Gear…the horrors of it all. This…was what he'd become…an abomination. Sighing, he opened them once more, and turned around to head back into the forest. As he did so, his footsteps halted almost immediately. Sol was standing right in front of him. Testament said nothing, and proceeded to step around him. Sol blocked his path with the length of the fireseal. 

"What's the rush?" Sol asked, his eyes flickering from Testament to the raven momentarily. Testament sighed in annoyance, and finally took a single step backward.

"I have other methods of exit, mind you," was his reply. Sol smirked.

"Yeah, I know. But you're not going anywhere anyway," Sol said, chuckling. Testament's eyes narrowed.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Humans are beyond this cliff. If you go down there, you know you'll end up killing over half of them. Dizzy would never be able to forgive you for that. And, you know if you pass me, I'll just hunt you down. So why're you so desperate to get away from me?" Sol asked. Testament exhaled extravagantly, then met Sol's slightly inquisitive glare with a cruel one of his own.

"…You do not know what it is you are seeking….your relationship with Ky Kiske is so twisted within your mind, that you cannot bear it, and you need another to accompany you while you sort such things. Your heart is being thrown at anything that pleases your eyes…but in truth, it is only lust," Testament said bluntly before gripping his scythe. 

"You are blocking my path. I advise that you move."

Sol did not budge. Instead, he returned the fireseal to his side and smirked.

"You really think that's why I'm after you, mm?" Sol asked. Testament watched in slight confusion as Sol now began to laugh.

"What amuses you so?" he asked, finally. Sol contained himself before responding.

"You. You and your thinking that I just need a good lay and I'm on my way," he chuckled. "But that's not it at all….! Ha ha ha ! Has it ever occurred to you that I just might want to end a relationship with Ky because I just was fucking miserable!?" Sol continued. Testament was speechless a moment, then shook his head some.

"Pitiful…" he muttered. Sol smirked, hearing that word.

"Yeah…it's pitiful that I stayed that long. You know, 'til I came across you, Ky used to amuse me a lot…yeah, it was fun…but then I realized that he was getting too fuckin' close. I mean, I know there's some stuff you just expect in a relationship, but—," Sol began, but was interrupted by Testament.

"Because you feel like you're closed in and you can't breathe. Like you're being suffocated and not even the one you once thought you cared for can get you out. Like..you're alone and nothing can save you from your impending insanity and lifetime of torment."

Sol was silent a moment, then spoke.

"Yeah…like that…how'd you know?" he asked. Testament stepped around Sol, and this time, Sol didn't stop him.

"Because I felt the same way once upon a time…"

Sol spoke now, loud enough so that Testament could hear him.

"And that's why I chose you over him…because we're the same…and different at the same time. And you know it. You know there are things about the both of us that we only know about each other…but only things we can understand about the other and not ourselves, Testament."

Testament said nothing and continued on. Sol was completely right. And that was why he continued on. However, as he did, a few more words from Sol followed him.

"Think about it, Testament. When you decide, I'll find you. I always do."

-End Ch 4-


	5. Justified Boundaries

**-Chapter 5: _Justified Boundaries_-**

            Sharon looked at the documentaries involving the Gear's attacks on humans. The demon the possessed Eddie was not mentioned a single time in the summary. Damn!  Tossing the paper onto her desk, she sighed. Rubbing her temples with both hands, she groaned a bit, then returned to work.

"You've got to be in here, somewhere," she murmured as she continued to sift through the documents. Finally! A report covering the sight of what appeared to be Venom dragging a dead Zato into…what was that anyway? A forest? Sharon squinted some to examine the poorly detailed photograph. It _was_ Venom and Zato!!

"Aha! You aren't as slippery as I thought! Slayer was right! You were up to something the whole time!" she accused before taking the photo in hand and dashing out of her personal office, into the hallway, and toward Slayer's office.

"Slayer! Honey! Look!" she panted as she stopped inside of his office. Slayer stopped admiring the portrait of himself and Sharon a moment to turn and look at Sharon.

"Yes? What is it?" he calmly asked. Sharon walked briskly toward his desk, and set the document in front of him.

"Take a look at this," she said. Slayer did so, at first examining the photograph, then looking over the report. So Venom _had_ been planning this all along! How dare he! Slayer had told him to dump the body a few feet from the manor, yet Venom did otherwise and brought him to this…this forsaken place, which had reeked of death?!

"Thank you, Sharon…I will take care of the both of them myself….and this time, Zato _and_ Venom will stay dead. I will make sure of it."

-

Sol Badguy sat upon a rather large stone, silently watching the water from the river rush by. The fireseal was dug into the ground beside him, silent as well. His intense, fiery brown eyes kept up with the raging flow as it went, and he watched the silent chaos within it. Though he seemed to be concentrating deeply, in truth, he was simply keeping track of the hours…by his own methods, of course. So far, it had been roughly four hours, and he still felt no need to hunt down Testament yet. His intuition would let him know when the time would be right, thus until then, he remained upon the stone.

"Are you the Gear Hunter? If so, I would like to request your service," a voice said. Sol did not move.

"The pay would be to your liking, I think," the voice continued. Sol still did nothing.

"I don't do other people's dirty work for 'em," he finally said, turning his head slightly. "You want a Gear dead? Do it yourself."

"Oh…this one is not a Gear…more or less a parasite, but not a Gear, I assure you." Sol scoffed, and finally looked at the owner of the voice. A female…slender…impish….what the hell would someone like this be doing in a dank, dead forest?!

"Then what is it?" he asked. The woman bit her lip only once before responding.

"I don't know…but it looks human. It took the life of a man named Zato, though."

"Zato?! Why would you want him dead?" Sol asked, a suspicion of the seemingly innocent woman growing over him. The woman sighed.

"He killed someone dear to me," the woman said sadly. "I don't know if you knew this or not…but Zato is a very bad person, possessed by a parasite or not." 

"What the—you're not makin' sense, woman! If Zato killed somebody, I would've smelled blood on him a long time ago!!" Sol barked, gripping the fireseal almost instinctively. The woman saw this, and swallowed hard.

"W-well…you see, he's dead—well, not anymore—."

"How the hell did you know that?!" Sol asked. The woman began to wring her hands.

"Um…"

_THUNK!_

Sol collapsed on the ground with a 'thud' almost instantly, groaning faintly. Behind him stood Slayer, chuckling amusedly.

"Because I followed his scent, that's how," he said, chuckling a bit more. Sharon exhaled gratefully, bowing thankfully to her husband. Slayer, in return, sighed.

"Sharon, my dear, you must think more clearly…had I not come in time, this heathen here could have harmed you.." he said with a sigh before stepping over Sol's unconscious body.

"Now, we should continue before he wakes…which should be within the hour or so. It seems that we are on the right track however…Zato's scent grows more keen in this direction," Slayer continued as the two meandered through the dark forest. 

-

Ky Kiske sighed as he spun around idly within his chair. It had been weeks nearly since he'd not seen Sol. Staring at his watch as though it would rewind and bring Sol back, Ky chewed on his lower lip a moment before looking out of the window.

"Nn….where _are_ you?" he mused aloud, propping his head up with a fist upon the arm of his chair.

"Sir Kiske, we have reports of strange activity in a remote forest located not too far from a local camp site. The witnesses report to have seen odd weather activity in addition to seeing explosions in the air, above the forest. This sound like a case to you, or what?" an officer asked as he threw a newspaper onto Ky's desk. Ky looked at it dismissively, but then took further notice as, within the photograph, some of those flames were reminiscent of those that would be dispelled by the fireseal! And fireseal almost always meant Sol! Taking his thunderseal in hand from underneath his desk, Ky nodded graciously.

"Of course…but don't worry. I can handle this case on my own…" he said with a smirk, looking back down at the paper briefly.

-

Sol rubbed the back of his head as he managed to stand again.

"The…fuck…was that all about?" he groaned as he continued to rub the back of his head irritably. He was slowly remembering a woman….laughter…SLAYER!

"That son-of-a-bitch!" he cursed as he gritted his teeth. "I **_KNEW _**that Gear should have let me tear him apart!" he growled fiercely as he gripped fireseal angrily and pulled it out of the earth.

"I'll tear you to _pieces_!!" Sol promised as he started to chase after the vampire, but again, was halted by another voice.

"Your hunting prowess has dulled.." Testament murmured as he stood a few feet to Sol's side, his arms folded, and the demonic raven perched upon his shoulder, seeming to mock Sol as well. Sol scoffed.

"Whatever. The vampire guy came back…and this time, I don't think he plans on going anywhere…" he said. Testament shook his head.

"Dizzy is far too forgiving…I suppose we will have to kill him ourselves.." he murmured. Sol's brow quirked gently.

" '_We_'? Heh. '_Our_selves'?" he said. Testament said nothing in reply a moment, then looked at the raven perched upon his shoulder.

"Yes…Gear Hunter…'_we_'…" he repeated slowly. Sol grinned.

"Well, in that case, let's be on our way," Sol said, allowing Testament to lead the way, and tail beside him.

"So, have you decided?" Sol asked in a bit of anticipation. Testament looked at him out of the corner of his eye, but nothing was said as he continued walking. Sol snorted.

"Well?" he again tried for an answer. Testament slowed slightly in his gait, then finally stopped. Looking Sol in the eye, with a blank expression scrawled upon his face, Testament responded honestly.

"I've taken your words into consideration. That is all," he said bluntly. Sol smirked.

"Hey, it's better than nothing," he said. Testament said nothing, and continued walking.

"The vampire is close…I can feel him," Testament said lowly. Sol nodded. 

"Yeah. Could be an ambush…it's not like he wouldn't try that.." Sol muttered, in slight reference to the incident beforehand. Testament chuckled faintly.

"Maybe that simply shows that you should work on your ego." 

Sol snorted and looked at the path ahead of them.

"Yeah, whatever," he said, shrugging the comment off. Testament began to laugh now. It was dark…haunting…but it somehow amused Sol, who was beginning to chuckle faintly.

"What's so funny?" Sol asked. Testament shook his head after he regained himself.

"Nothing…other than the fact that your soul is easily offended…" Testament said. Sol rolled his shoulders a bit.

"Well, hell, what can I say? I take offense easily."

Testament shook his head again.

"Then you will always fail," he said. Sol smirked and looked at him.

"Really..?" he asked. Testament smirked slightly as he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Yes.."

"Then," Sol began as he stopped the both of them; first by his taking hold of Testament's arm and stopping him directly, then by his stopping in his tracks to look at Testament with that same smirk. "If I'm such a failure, why haven't you killed me yet? I thought you despised humans?" Sol asked with a bit of a daring tone as leaned in a bit. Testament leaned back along with him, seeming to avoid contact.

"You're not human…but that does not mean I never despised you to begin with," he said. Sol grinned, pulling Testament's arm forward a little, and momentarily took advantage of the sudden jerk forward by seizing his death-kissed lips with his own. In the brief moment, Testament would have been quick to summon his scythe and decapitate the daring Sol, but, by the element of surprise, and its being unsuspected by Testament, Sol had a strategically perfect advantage—hence the reason he'd spent so much time talking, as to time his move precisely—which he did, and the following action followed through as smoothly as he'd expected it. In the moments that followed after Sol let Testament go, with that same smirk plastered upon his face, Testament could vaguely feel his humanity seeping through the cracks of the Gear's surface. Shoving them back where they rightfully belonged, he found this harder to do than before. As Sol chuckled at Testament's silent reaction, Testament said nothing, and continued along the path, far more silent than before. Sol grinned even more.

"Still hate me?" he chuckled. Testament said nothing in return.

-

Zato looked at the manor as he and Venom now approached it. To Venom, it was the same, but to Zato…it was far, far more decadent and desolate-looking than before. Venom seemed to sense this, and spoke his mind.

"How do you feel, being here again after so long?" He asked. Zato smiled a bit, and continued toward the manor. After entering through the doorway, Zato inhaled and exhaled greatly before responding.

"…Like a renewed child…" he said, finally. Venom smiled warmly, and walked ahead of Zato, as if to lead him. Zato took hint and followed Venom through the main hall, continuing until Venom stopped at the throne that had not seen its Master for so many, many years.

"Other than myself, dear master Zato, this throne has missed your presence for the longest of times."

Zato sighed gently, and looked at his throne. Indeed, it had been quite some time, since he sat there. Back then, it was a simple matter of giving orders and aiding fellow assassins in their work…but now..the throne looked different…how….Zato, couldn't exactly place it..

"While I was gone…who was my successor?" he asked. Venom smiled a bit more, and placed a hand on the arm of the throne as he approached it, looking it over almost fondly.

  
"I was your successor, master Zato," he said gently, almost in a whisper. Zato still caught those words, and approached Venom. Standing beside him, Zato placed a hand over that of Venom's, and entwined their fingers upon the arm of the throne.

"And I would only accept you as my successor…in place of my absence, Venom," Zato said, releasing their entwined grip a moment before walking around the throne, where he noticed a large coffin that should have once been suspended in chains and multiple locks.

"Slayer is still alive..?" he whispered…more of a question to himself than to Venom.

Venom looked down a moment. 

"Has he reformed?" Zato asked. "Has he changed his heart?"

"No…it seems to grow colder by the day," Venom said, almost sadly. "And what is worse…is that he is dragging Sharon into his game of dominance. He manipulates her feelings to his own will…though he acts otherwise, as so she will believe him."

Zato nodded, sighing as he twirled the lock in between his fingers.

"Well then…we will have to either cure his heart…or destroy him…for I feel he has not gone to Transylvania as he has had us to believe..he is far too power-hungry to do that…"

Venom nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Venom asked. Zato shook his head.

"Revert to my old ways of killing, if it will mean defeating Slayer," he said. Venom nodded.

"Understood…but…shouldn't we alert the others that Slayer is not to be allowed here?" Venom asked. Zato shook his head.

"No..that's what he wants us to do. Instead, we will show the others who is real..and who is fake. Though I was resurrected…this time…I will make everything right," Zato swore, gripping the lock in his hand.

"For us, Venom…and for the Guild."

-

Bridget smacked Johnny in the head with his yo-yo yet again as he tried to teach the both of them the "Shoot the Moon" trick.

"AH! Dammit, Bridget! That yo-yo hurts!" Johnny cursed, rubbing his forehead. Bridget clasped a hand over his mouth as he laughed almost uncontrollably.

"It's not my fault you can't yo-yo!" he giggled. Johnny growled a bit, then finally threw the yo-yo across the deck.

"I give up. I'm gonna go get drunk and go find that pretty lady that gives me free doughnuts.." Johnny muttered as he walked off. Bridget whimpered a bit before looking at May, who was still attempting the same trick, only she was hitting the other crewmembers instead of her own forehead, as done before.

"Is Johnny mad again?" Bridget asked sadly. May shook her head as she still attempted the trick.

"Johnny gets frustrated when he can't do something and he's tried a bazillion times," May said as she smacked another crewmember with the yo-yo.

"Sorry! Um…heh…as I was saying, Johnny just needs a break before you try and teach him that again…have you tried teaching him other stuff?" May asked. Bridget shook his head.

"No. He wanted to learn the hardest trick first, so I let him try."

"No, no, no—what you have to do is tell him that the easiest trick you have is the _hardest trick_, you got it?" May said with a smile. Bridget blinked.

"No. How can an easy trick be hard?" he asked. May sighed.

"It's already easy, Bridge, but you _tell_ him it's hard. Got it?"

Bridget blinked some.

"But that's lying! I don't wanna lie to Johnny!" he wailed. May ran a hand over her face.

"If you want Johnny to be happy, you should do it. What Johnny doesn't know can't hurt him," she said. Bridget wearily nodded.

"Okay, May," he said. Just as Bridget followed Johnny's footsteps, Dizzy intercepted them. 

"Hi there, Bridge. What're you up to?" she asked. Bridget beamed quite happily.

"I'm gonna go teach Johnny one of the hardest tricks to do with a yo-yo!" he announced happily. Dizzy giggled in return.

"Ha ha…good luck, Bridget," she said, ruffling his mess of blonde underneath his headdress. As Bridget bounced away happily with a singsong tone on his lips, Dizzy approached May, who still was flinging the yo-yo about, hitting crewmembers here and there.

"May…I think we might have to go down there…to the forest…I think something bad is about to happen," she said quietly. 

"Eh?" May said as she stopping throwing the yo-yo about. "Like what?"

"I don't know," Dizzy said. "But whatever it is…everyone will need our help."

-End Ch 5- 


	6. Trust

**-Chapter 6: _Trust-_**

            Venom sat alone in a rather large lounging chair within what could be called the dining hall of the manor. His eyes were closed in thought, though he appeared to be sleeping. The sudden sound of a door slamming far off within the manor only caused his eyes to open gently, yet after a moment of not hearing anything more did he return to his musing state.

"Nothing?" Zato asked as he joined Venom within the massive dining hall, his arms behind him as he approached him. Venom shook his head some.

"No…no sign at all…though…I can faintly trace someone else…I don't know who though. Whoever it is, they are growing close to this manor…I think we should ready ourselves, in the case that it is Slayer."

Zato nodded, and pulled his arms from behind him.

"If it is him, do not attempt to settle anything with him until I motion to do so," he instructed. Venom nodded obediently before standing and leaving the dining hall to Zato as he ventured through the manor towards the door. Just as he reached for the knob, there were a series of knocks. Exhaling gently, Venom continued to open the door. To his surprise, four people stood ahead of him: Dizzy, he knew, was among the four. Of the other three was a tall man in black, and two girls beside him; one with a yo-yo, while the other had an anchor by her side.

"Hi!" They all said cheerfully at once. Venom blinked a few times, then looked at Dizzy, who smiled in return.

"Venom…there is much to explain, but…may we come in?" she asked politely. Venom nodded quietly and stepped aside, so that the troupe could enter. After closing the door, he watched as the two girls ran about the manor in awe.

"It's so BIG!" one marveled, while the other looked at the various statues.

"Kinda' creepy though," the other said in a big of disgust, poking at one of the statues with the back end of her anchor. Venom chuckled faintly, then proceeded to clear his throat before speaking.

"Dizzy. Would you and your friends mind waiting here while I retrieve Master Zato?" he asked. Dizzy gave an affirmative sound before Venom started off briskly back into the halls of the massive manse, heading toward the dining hall. As he reached it once more, he found Zato admiring the various portraits scattered through the halls on the walls. Sighing a moment, as if he were regretful to disrupt Zato's moment of recollecting memories he'd lost over the time of death, Venom finally spoke.

"Master Zato, there are guests here to see you…and what they have to say is important, I think," he said slowly, watching as Zato turned to look at him.

"Who are they?" he asked.

"Three of them, I do not know of, but one of them is Dizzy, the Gear that resurrected you," Venom responded gently, taking a moment to look at the portraits himself. Zato nodded.

"I see. Venom," Zato began as he started to approach him, but just as he was beginning to pass him, he stopped, right beside him, and spoke.

"They are not guests anymore…recognize them as both allies and dear friends to the Guild from now on," he said. Venom nodded, smiling inwardly at hearing that.

"Yes, my—I mean," Venom started, but caught himself quickly. Before he could properly correct himself, Zato placed a hand on his shoulder, and spoke in a bit of a low tone, as if others were in their presence, and the next words were only meant for him.

"Do not correct yourself…you no longer must do so in my presence," he said, then continued past Venom toward the main hall, where the four that Venom referred to as 'guests' were waiting. Venom smiled once more before looking at the portraits.

"Understood…my Zato.." he whispered before following Zato's footsteps.

-

Testament sighed as he stood out on a cliff, waiting for Sol to catch up. Silently, he stared into the growing dusk, the demonic raven cawing gently every now and then as it perched upon his shoulder. Testament raised a hand a moment to pet the bird's head before he sighed, dropping his hand.

"Do you ever plan on answering me?" was Sol's question as he finally caught up with Testament and stood beside him, on the cliff. Testament was still silent. Sol clenched his jaw slightly before trying again.

"Look, if I pissed you off, just say so, okay?!" he growled. Testament chuckled.

"Still the same, I see," he mused aloud. Sol looked at him oddly.

"Eh?" he said. Testament motioned for his companion perched upon his shoulder to leave, and she did so. Afterward, he turned his back on the view from the cliff, and started to walk away from Sol, speaking as he went.

"Your soul hasn't changed. And in several minutes, you will regret all that you have spawned since your eyes were laid upon me," he said, almost regrettably. Sol blinked a few times.

"What the hell are you talking about? Do you mean that you're gonna fight me?" he asked, slightly offended by Testament's increasingly odd behavior, for in Sol's mind, he'd not yet done anything wrong to deserve this! Testament shook his head as he continued to walk.

"Look down from the cliff," was his simple instruction. Sol looked at Testament oddly before doing as told, and what he saw made a brown brow arch almost painfully.

"WHAT THE **_HELL_**?!" he shouted, backing away some. Ky Kiske?! Why was he here?! Spinning around, eyes wide, Sol pointed the blunt end of the fireseal in Testament's direction.

"Did you have anything to do with that?!" he asked. Testament stopped in his tracks and turned around. His crimson eyes flickered from Sol to the blade before a gentle smirk tugged at his lips.

"No. I do not converse with those that I despise, mind you. And…I have decided…though your previous words drove humanity to this…Gear's surface…I must decline, for your selfishness has yet to find redemption. When this is done, Gear Hunter, ask me that same question again," was Testament's reply to Sol's growing anger before he continued into the forest. Sol stood there, watching Testament disappear, speechless. His anger had been uncontrolled…and spontaneous…and Testament was right. If he wasn't out for himself, as he had been in the past, maybe things would have turned out brighter. Clenching his jaw, and for once, finally realizing the truth from another's point of view, Sol started off into a run after Testament.

_I may be as this guy says…but I'm not losing him! Why is Ky even here!?!  This would have been a lot less painful for him had he stayed in the office, but **NO!**_ _Fuck…well, Sol…you got your ass into this…you're getting yourself out._

-

"….and…if I allowed the feeling to pass, I…don't know what would happen to you all," Dizzy concluded as she looked away from the fireplace toward Venom and Zato. Zato had reclaimed his rightful position within the throne, and had propped a hand up on his cheek, listening to what the Gear had to say. Venom stood by, next to the throne, listening as well. Zato's eyes drifted in Venom's direction a moment before he sighed, and leaned forward within his seat.

"I see, Dizzy…thank you for bringing this to my attention. So you feel that this is going to be bigger than a simple power struggle?" he asked. Dizzy nodded.

"Yes…between the premonitions, and everything that has happened so far, I feel like I should not stand by any longer. Undine and Necro have finally agreed to allow me to control my own power, rather than bickering over it themselves…with the exception of Necro's "price" for his resurrections…so…I want to help everyone. As I told Venom before I resurrected you, Zato, I want to help this planet…make it better and erase this stupid war between man and Gear! But..I can't do it alone," she said. Zato nodded in agreement.

"I see…we assassins do not discriminate between man and Gear. It is, sadly, about whoever is willing to pay us for our services," he began, watching as Dizzy's expression fell into sadness, and the other two girls looked to be doing so as well. 

"But….since you are not a client to this guild and rather are like our allies…I am willing to lift such a burden from your shoulders…given that you have done that which you have for me and Venom."

Dizzy and the others began to show signs of joy at hearing that. The girl that held a yo-yo threw herself onto Zato, yipping quite happily.

"THANK YOU!! I DIDN'T WANNA HAVE TO SPEND MONEY!" she yipped. Zato chuckled.

"Well, my dear lady, it is only out of my own gratitude for what your friend has done for me.

"Okay! But, I'm not a lady, so don' call me that," the one that Zato assumed to be a female replied before springing backward to land beside the one that wielded a massive anchor. Zato blinked a few times…as did Venom. The both of them exchanged expressions momentarily before Venom cleared his throat to speak.

"It's a long story," the boy said, chuckling faintly. 

"I…see. Well…Dizzy, you and your friends are welcome to stay as long as you'd like. But, be warned that there is a battle still raging between Slayer, myself, and Zato. Why he is so desperate to claim the throne is beyond me, seeing as how a businessman such as himself could easily establish on in Transylvania," Venom said. Dizzy smiled before nodding and bowing gracefully.

"Thank you….both of you. I will only stay this and next night, for I want to make sure no harm comes to this guild."

Zato smiled faintly.

"It has been some time since someone other than those within the Guild would opt to preserve it," he said. Venom nodded in agreement.

"Yes…other than ourselves, many have desired to see this place ablaze…though…once upon a time…Zato, myself, and a few others swore with our lives that this building would never see such a horrible day," he added. The tall man in a trench coat whistled faintly as he looked the place over from behind his sunglasses.

"This place looks dead….but are there any women here?" he asked. Zato smirked.

"Of course…if you have the mind to find them…they simply won't come to you unless you take the time to look for them," he said, chuckling faintly.

"YES!" the man yelped happily before taking off down a corridor, looking around hastily.

"Pretty ladies? Where are you? Come out so Johnny can see you!!" he called. Zato shook his head, while Venom stood silent, but, beneath the dove decorated with blue, his expression seemed that of an amused man's, for he too was entertained by the male pirate's behavior. The boy watched Johnny, laughing, as did the girl who wielded an anchor.

"Johnny's funny. Hey May, wanna go check out those weird statues again?!" the boy asked as he gripped his yo-yo in excitement. May nodded as she picked up her anchor, settling in upon her shoulder.

"Okay, Bridget…and, we can spy on Johnny and see what he's up to!" she added before herself and Bridget ran after the wandering Johnny, leaving Dizzy, Zato, and Venom behind. After the children's voices dimmed, Zato began to speak in a more serious tone.

"So…what were in these premonitions, he asked. Dizzy seemed to grow uncomfortable in mentioning them, but did so anyway.

"Well…there were a lot of them…some of them were about you, Zato…while others were about Venom…me….Sir Ky Kiske…and the others surrounded this big shadow and Testament…"

"What…? Did all of these seem linked?" Zato asked. Dizzy shrugged gently.

"Some of them, yes…while others didn't make sense…it was all so jumbled together, that it was too hard for me to try and make sense of them," she admitted. Venom stirred some in thought, then finally spoke.

"Was Slayer in any of them? Did he appear briefly or anything?" he asked. Dizzy looked thoughtful a moment before she responded.

"Well…now that you mention it…he wasn't in them…but this other woman was…though I could never really make her out….she was always in the distance though…does that help?" she asked. Venom closed his eyes beneath the sheet of white, and sighed.

"Sharon.." he muttered. Zato nodded in agreement, placing a hand upon his forehead.

"Yes..Sharon…Dizzy, I'm sorry, but this is something that Venom and I must deal with. If your assistance is needed, we will call for it. I suggest that we all rest for now…the stress can cause one to go mad…and I, having been given new breath, would not like to waste it worrying about that damned nightwalker and his wife…when everyone has properly rested, we will think of a proper way to deal with this…and hopefully not have to shed any blood," Zato said, standing from his seat, and, with Venom by his side, left Dizzy in the main hall. Dizzy sighed and shook her head.

"What does all of this mean? Why is this Sharon such a problem…she never did anything in any of my premonitions…but then…why was she there to begin with…?"

-

"Testament, wait!!" Sol yelled as he jogged to catch up to the Gear. Testament did not stop, but only slowed his gait a bit, as so the Gear Hunter would be able to catch up.

"What is it?" Testament asked. Sol sighed as he slowed to a walk.

"Look. I'll admit I'm and ass. Can't help that. Yeah, I'm selfish and arrogant and all that other bullshit, but hell, I can't change in under five minutes," he groaned. Testament chuckled.

"Then your soul is beginning to understand.." he murmured. Sol blinked.

"Understand what?" he asked.

"It's possessor," Testament replied. Sol still looked at him oddly.

"Meaning…?"

"There is no meaning…simply something that I needed to feel from you.." testament responded. Sol arched a brow.

"In order to..?" Sol continued. Testament finally stopped, sighing as he summoned his scythe. This time, Sol's hand did not find the hilt of the fireseal. Instead, it dangled at his side. Testament said nothing, and let his scythe fade away into nothingness.

"See if your Gear portion is able to overcome that that is human…or vice-versa. That is the same struggle that I once had…I contemplated your words; my own hatred for humankind fought with me over your words….and multiple times did I consider it…and would have killed you…but the human portion kept me from doing so. Blame my weakness on the part of me that is human…and my animosity on that which is Gear. Gear Hunter..I have resolved…and it is that which is human within me which has set aside my own selfish desire to destroy all humans that has been discarded in order to salvage within me that is human…though it will be difficult to maintain," Testament said, his crimson stare unwavering from that of Sol's intense brown. Sol chuckled faintly, then shook his head.

"I see…so, it took me and my smart-assed ways to make you understand yourself?" he concluded. Testament nodded.

"Oddly yes…and, if you would set aside your oath to destroy all that are of the Gears, would I, as you asked before, accept such an offering of affection…" Testament said. Sol smirked, drawing the fireseal from his side, and pointed it at Testament's heart.

"Then..from now until whenever the other side wins…Sol Badguy brands his name on that heart," he said, then, pushing the blunt end towards his own heart, he continued.

"And the same around…hopefully, we'll understand ourselves and each other completely, eh?" he asked, chuckling. Testament nodded.

"Yes…someday. But…for now, Gear Hunter…we must aide my dearest sister, Dizzy. Her soul calls to mine…and what she has to say is vital."

Sol shrugged.

"Sure thing. But don't call me a damn Gear Hunter again. It's Sol. Got it?" he asked, grinning further. Testament smirked faintly, the humane portion of him beginning to show more underneath the Gear's surface.

"Understood."

-

Ky groaned tiredly as he finally was able to reach the top of the cliff, pulling himself up onto the earth, he panted, then forced himself up again.

"You're here…I..ah..I can feel it.." he coughed. Pulling the thunderseal upward, he waved it along the ground until he felt the fireseal's presence once more….but…why was it that he felt so uneasy? Shrugging off the feeling, he traced the path sensed by the thunderseal. However, as he did so, he began to notice footprints…multiple footprints…boots like those of Sol's…and those of another's as well…but..Sol always traveled alone. So..could someone be following him? Ky continued to follow the tracks until they stopped. But..the tracks of the person that he thought was following Sol stopped as well. Who was Sol with? Biting his lower lip, Ky continued to follow…and though his heart was telling him to go back…he pressed on, sure that it was just him that was beginning to think the wrong thing….or so he hoped he was.

-End Ch 6-


	7. Complications

**-Chapter 7: _Complications_-**

Bridget sighed as he sat beside May and Dizzy, playing idly with his yo-yo while the trio sat outside the manor, upon what could be considered as the "porch" of the manse. Johnny was nowhere to be found. In fact, he'd been missing for the past seven hours! Venom and Zato had been missing for even longer. And the three were left with only each other and their own musings. Finally, after the boredom became too much to bear, May spoke up.

"You know, Johnny's been gone way too long, you guys. I think we should find out what it is he's up to," she muttered. Bridget stopping playing with the yo-yo to respond.

"But we _already_ know what it is he's doing, May—chasing women!" 

"Exactly! He **_should_** be here with us, planning to help these assassin people out!"

"But we haven't come up with a plan yet, May," Bridget said, setting the yo-yo into his lap. May growled, causing Bridget to think twice about what he'd said.

"OF COURSE WE HAVEN'T!!!! THAT'S WHY HE SHOULD BE WITH US—TO HELP!!!" she roared. Bridget chuckled faintly.

"Ah heh…well…I can go find him May!!" he quickly offered. "And you can stay here with Dizzy, okay?" he said, standing up. May seemed to lower her temper upon hearing those words.

"Fine," she muttered. "But hurry up."

"Okay!" Bridget yipped, turning around to go into the manor to search for Johnny. As he opened the doors and walked into the massive place, he looked over the dark setting. As usual, silence was always to be found, along with the massive gothic statues that were loitered along the walls here and there. Partially afraid of the grotesque statues, he meandered through the halls, testing his accuracy with his yo-yo out on the air every now and again in the process.

"Jeez... this place _is_ creepy!" he murmured, noticing how dark the atmosphere was.

"You think so?" a voice echoed throughout the halls. Bridget turned around almost instantly.

"Huh?" he gasped nearly. The owner of the voice stepped into view…it wasn't Zato or Venom…a tall man with a tie that resembled a crucifix stood before him now…and Bridget somehow felt that this man was far older than what he looked. "Who are you?" he asked. The man chuckled and bowed gracefully before speaking.

"A friend, my dear…are you lost?" he asked. Bridget shook his head.

"No. I'm looking for Johnny," he responded. Slyer cleared his throat a moment before smiling broadly.

"Are you sure that he is here?' he asked. Bridget again nodded enthusiastically.

"Uh huh! He's been here for a while. Mister Zato and Mister Venom said we could all stay a few nights," he went on. The man's eyebrow arched quizzically before he exhaled a moment.

"_Oh?_ Is that so?" he questioned, watching the boy nod some more.

"Yeah! We're supposed to be helping Dizzy with some dream she had," he said. The man rubbed his chin a moment before clicking his tongue a few times.

"I see..well, you know what? If you want, how about I help you find this Johnny of yours, mm?"

Bridget seemed overwhelmed with joy at hearing that.  It would be a lot faster to find Johnny with two people instead of one anyway.

"Okay!" he chirped. The man chuckled and began to walk ahead of the boy, motioning for him to follow.

"I think I know where to find him, as a matter of fact," the man added. "This shouldn't take long.."

-

Zato began to sweat as the darkness was beginning to take hold of him. He couldn't breathe..he was trying to gasp for a breath of air, but it wasn't working. He was suffocating. And whatever was inside of him was taking over. Just as he felt himself losing it, an image of Venom broke into billions of pieces, right before his eyes. And afterward, everything stopped. He was dead.

"Ga-ah!!" gasped as he sat up in bed quickly. Panting, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and quickly looked around him. It was dark. And Venom was still there, by his side, dreaming away silently, as usual. Placing a hand over his own heart, Zato realized that he had been dreaming. Another nightmare. The third, to be exact. And they all were the same: of himself and Venom being destroyed simultaneously. Did this mean that it all would come true?  Slowing his breaths, Zato looked at Venom once more before pushing himself out of bed. The floor was cold…thus, this was proof that this was not another nightmare. Sighing, Zato slipped on a pair of leather pants, and stepped outside the bedroom, and into the hallway. Silence. Shaking his head a moment to clear away a barrage of thoughts, Zato decided to take a walk through the small forest that surrounded the manor. Once within the main hallway, he began to admire the grotesque statues scattered throughout the massive room. In a way..they mirrored him. Great titans…dark…yet somewhere, within them…a light lingered. A faint sigh erupted from within him before he continued toward the door, and opened it. As he did so, a sharp pain shot through him, and he gasped, collapsing onto his knees, and held his stomach. As he looked down at his hands, he noticed that blood was beginning to stain them. Looking back toward the opened door, Zato could only manage a few words.

"…M…Millia Rage…?" he uttered. The partially decomposed body that belonged to Millia smiled evilly in turn, her tone of voice distorted greatly, as though her vocal chords had partially decomposed as well.

"Good to see you again, Zato," she said, her eyes narrowing as parts of her partially decomposed body was beginning to regenerate, and her tone was beginning to return to normal. Her image was the last he saw before darkness filled his world, and he collapsed on the ground. Millia stepped over his body as she sighed, looking back at his sprawled form before smirking.

"I used to think that there was a balance in this so-called family," she began. "But now I see that that is not true…you always favored Venom…" she said in disgust before continuing on.

"So I might as well allow him to join you."

-

Johnny smirked as he left the doorway of one of the women assassin's rooms. Of course, he'd failed in getting anywhere with her, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't go away on an angry note. Instead, he smiled at her and closed the door with a goodbye. Once the door was closed however, he cursed extravagantly underneath his breath.

"…_Goddammit why can't they just say 'Okay Johnny, we love you come into our bedroom?!?!?!' But **noooooooo**, it's 'I'm sorry, Johnny, but our code prohibits us from blah blah blah blah blah' shut the hell up!!" _he growled as he walked briskly down the hall. His tone disappeared as he caught sight of Bridget, who was walking and talking alongside a taller, older man. Quirking a brow, Johnny stopped in his tracks, and pulled his sunglasses down a little so that he could look at them a little better. Bridget was the first to notice him, and made it known by waving extravagantly.

"JOHNNY!" he yelped before taking off toward the pirate, and expressing his great amount of joy by leaping into Johnny's arms.

"May's been looking _all over_ for you!" he yipped. Johnny chuckled as he caught Bridget, and set him on the ground.

"I figured. Who's that guy?" Johnny asked with a motion of his hand. Bridget turned around, but the man he meant to introduce was no longer there.

"Um…I didn't get his name…he just said that he'd help me find you.." he murmured. Johnny blinked a few times. "Bridge….you sure you weren't seein' anything?" he questioned. Bridget blinked a few times before gnawing on his thumb absent-mindedly.

"Umm…yeah, I'm pretty sure that he was there…" he said. Johnny rubbed his temples a moment before sighing.

"Alright, kiddo…let's go," he murmured before he and Bridget continued on down the hall.

-

Venom woke quickly, sweat pouring down his face as he gasped for breath. There was something incredibly wrong. He could feel it. Placing a hand where Zato should have been, beside him, Venom found nothing more than a handful of bed sheets. Not wanting to waste another second, Venom pushed himself out of bed almost impulsively, and dashed outside of the room and into the hallway.

No…no, it's not happening again…I won't let this happen again…I will be responsible! I will—.

Venom's train of thought was halted immediately as he beheld a fully regenerated Millia Rage, whose smirk widened even more as she looked at him.

"We meet again, brother.." she said, almost in sarcasm. "It is time for you r sister to put you to bed, just as you have for her…once, already. But this time," she began, wiping a smidgen of dirt from her face before continuing. "Unlike me…you won't be coming back from your trip…"

"Is that so?" Venom growled as his single visible eye narrowed greatly. Millia nodded gently. 

"Yes…because, without your _dear_ Zato, you …are…**_nothing_**," she sneered. Venom's eyes widened gently, but not enough for her to notice.

"If you hurt him, I swear—."

"He's already dead, Venom. Again, even. So," she began, as she watched Venom's visible eye twitch in grief briefly. "I think it's time you joined him."

-

Dizzy looked at the sky as the dusk began to melt into night gently upon the horizon. Hugging her knees close to her chest, she sighed as a cold feeling began to creep along her spine. May noticed this, and brought it to attention.

"What's the matter, Dizzy?" she asked. Before Dizzy could answer, a dark shadow swept by them both before a tall man clad in black, yet as pale as death stood before them; a crow perched upon his shoulder, and a scythe in hand.

"Dizzy…I received your call. What is happening?" he asked. Dizzy shuddered violently as her jaw began to clench. 

"I…I don't know, Testament..the feeling is getting worse…but I'm trying to place it. Something is happening…something horrible.." she whispered. Testament breathed silently as he closed his eyes, tuning into his own sense as well. As he was doing this, Sol Badguy stopped beside him. Looking at the both of him, he growled faintly.

"You don't need intuition!! There's a fight going on in there!" he bellowed. Both Dizzy and Testament shook their heads simultaneously.

"No…something else..something far more terrible…so many things.." they said in unison. Sol blinked, along with May.

"What the hell..?" Sol began. As he and May pondered what they were talking about, the door to the Assassin's Guild flew open, and Venom flew outside, slamming back first into a nearby tree with a groan. Sliding to the ground with blood beginning to trickle from his mouth. As he did his best to stand, Venom noticed that the others were beginning to attempt to battle with the undead Millia. Throwing his hand ahead of his face, Venom shouted quite loudly as to stop them.

"STOP! DON'T TOUCH HER! THIS IS TO BE HANDLED ONLY BY ME!" he ordered. Everyone stopped and looked at him, while Millia slowly stepped down the stairs, and began to approach him.

"But…but Venom," Dizzy began.

"NO! SHE.." Venom began, fighting back tears of both rage and sorrow in the process before the next words were able to part from his lips. "SHE KILLED ZATO! HER LIFE IS **MINE** TO TAKE!" he roared. Testament sighed before stepping back, pushing the others with him in the process with an unseen force.

"He is correct. Revenge should only be for him, for he is the mourner…" he said slowly, Sol bit his lower lip before holding in a gentle mutter of words that would normally have been emitted. 

"SOL!" a familiar voice rang throughout the air as the onlookers of the duel between Venom and Millia turned around quickly to see who the possessor of the voice was. Ky Kiske. Standing a few yards or so away; the thunderseal in his right hand as he looked on with a bright smile on his face….and again, that name was emitted from his lips a little more gently…as if he were speaking that name from the heart once more for himself.

"Sol…I….I missed you…" he whispered. To his dismay, however, Ky's bright greeting was not met with the same response as he'd hoped for. Instead, Sol gave him a soulless glare, sighed, and turned back around.

"Ky. Leave. Now. Before you lose your mind," Sol ordered. Testament heard all this, and did not move nor speak. He looked at Sol a moment, then back at Ky, knowing where all of this was beginning to head. As Ky heard those words, his smile began to fade, and a more of a confused look was scribbled upon his visage.

"What…what do you mean..? Sol…?" Ky asked, remembering now the tracks that he saw. He hoped the words that came from Sol's mouth next weren't what he thought they would be. They couldn't be. They'd better not be…

"Ky..I don't love you. Now go," were those words that came from Sol's mouth blatantly. And just as cold-heartedly did Sol watch Ky's expression of puzzlement fall into that of deep despair and sadness.

"….You…you…you used me…didn't you?" Ky whispered as a few tears began to form in his eyes. "You…bastard…you lied to me.." he said, a bit of hatred growing in his tone. "No…no…you would never say that…no…not…no…it was _him_, wasn't it?!" Ky accused, pointing his thunderseal at Testament, who looked back at him just as heartlessly as Sol did. "IT WAS YOU! YOU MANIPULATIVE **FUCK!!** YOU DID IT, DIDN'T YOU?! **DIDN'T YOU?!?!**" Ky cried insanely as his eyes began to widen. Sol turned his back on Ky.

"I told you to leave…you're only hurting yourself," he muttered. Ky became blind with jealousy and hatred. His thunderseal began to crackle with that same hatred, as the pure blue electricity began to crackle and ensnare the thunderseal completely with his growing fury. Sol could feel his hatred—his animosity towards Testament growing more and more with every passing second. And it was because of that that the fireseal was beginning to glow with its own fury. Sol clenched his fists, feeling the rush of adrenaline pulsing through his body. Testament could feel it, too. But nothing escaped from his mouth. Ky's fury grew too much for him to bear, and as he charged on, towards Testament with a hatred raging far more than that of Sol's blood when in battle, the fireseal blocked his swing toward the Gear. 

"I'm sorry, Ky…but I can't allow you to harm him," Sol said nonchalantly. This made Ky even madder.

"HOW COULD YOU!!?!" he roared. Sol shook his head. 

"I thought I loved you, but I don't."

Ky's tears began to flow more freely.

"Why…..why are you doing this..? I loved you!"

"But I don't love you…I'm sorry.." Sol said again. 

"I…can't believe you…..I…won't be able to forgive you for this.." Ky whimpered, retracting the thunderseal. Sol sighed, stepping in front of Testament. The fireseal was brought in front of his face as his eyes closed.

"Then Ky…we are as we were before….let's rock."

-End Ch 7- 


	8. A Million Pieces, A Thousand Dreams

** -Chapter 8: _A Million Pieces, A Thousand Dreams_-**

Testament did not move as he watched the following events occur. Sol had…saved him. And also, he'd stood there, unmoving as Ky was charging toward him, about to strike him down with a blow of pure hatred. Usually, he would have drawn his scythe and dealt with the human himself…but something wouldn't allow it. What was this feeling..? Should he have let Ky kill him? Or was it meant for all of these things to happen as they did? These things swam through his mind as Sol began to fight with Ky. He pushed Ky backward with the force of the fireseal against that of the thunderseal's, and then took a few steps forward.

"Ky…you're making this harder on yourself," Sol went on, quickly dodging a low swing from Ky that left a crackling trail of thunder behind and into the ground.

"Me?! Hurt MYSELF!?! When you were the one who decided to leave me on a **_whim_**?!?!?!?" he cried, tears flowing even more than before as his anger-flooded heart pumped even more. Sol could feel his fury..and the Gear inside of him wanted so desperately wanted to end this with plenty of bloodshed! But…no…he wouldn't let that happen. He'd already hurt Ky enough…there was no need for any more pain. A horizontal arc from the fireseal intercepted a vertical one from the thunderseal midway, resulting in embers and sparks to flicker forth from the contact. Ky's power came from pure hatred, rather than from his own expertise as a swordsman, while Sol's was driven by empathy for Ky's justifiable hatred.

"I told you...I thought I loved you, but I don't!" Sol said as he swayed backward quickly to avoid yet another attempt to cut open his abdomen. Ky acted as if he hadn't heard him, for as Sol moved, the thunderseal was retracted quickly and thrust forward. As a desperate attempt to avoid getting skewered, Sol threw himself backward onto the ground, rolled all of his weight backward onto his hands, then uncoiled all of it in a brilliant upward thrust of both legs that connected with Ky's chest, sending him sail over Sol and into the ground with a grunt. 

"Ah!" Ky yelped as he bounced off of the earth once, and then landed on his side in a slightly crumpled manner. The thunderseal was lost from his hand, and slid across the ground, near Testament's feet. The Gear looked at it with no interest, but picked it up by the hilt and walked toward Ky's body, planting it tip-first into the ground beside Ky's hand.

"All of the blame is not to be placed solely on myself or Sol. I knew that once you and he were together…and I brought this to his attention…yet still he informed me that he did not plan on returning to you. Rejection is something no one wishes to accept, Kiske...I myself…as a Gear, have felt that very same hatred you feel in you right now. But, I do not take it out on those around me simply because I feel that I should do so. Sol wants you to leave without pain…yet you persisted…and this is the price that you have paid. I personally did not wish to bear any burden upon either of your hearts…but it seems that fate has decided to do otherwise."

Ky didn't move. He didn't want to move. He wanted to die. Now. For him, there was no longer a purpose in life without Sol. He bit harshly upon his lower lip until blood was drawn, and let it flow into the earth. As he did this, Sol approached him, and spoke while looking at the fight going on between Venom and Millia.

"If you want to know why I did it Ky, then this would be a good time to ask. Because, after this day, you won't see me again."

Ky squeezed his eyes shut as he heard those words, and forced himself upward from the ground, not bothering to pick up the thunderseal yet.

"Yes..I would like to know _why_ you did what you did," he said, a lingering anger in his tone. Sol drew in a silent breath before explaining.

"Like I said, I _used_ to think that I loved you. So..I wasn't lying to you when I said that I did. It's just that there was something about you that I couldn't place..as well as something about me that I could not place as well. You were too close to me…I tried to get some space without telling you, but you kept doing it anyway. Then I told you I needed you to back off a little. You did it..but later you started getting close again. I needed to breathe…be alone sometimes…well..a lot of times…and you never gave me that privilege, whether you knew it or not. I need to find someone that is the same as me..has been through the same things that I have..but also different things that I have not seen. Testament is just that. A Gear. He has always been hated and feared, regardless of his personality and ways, even if they are decent. You have not been hated and feared by those around you, nor have you been hunted nearly day and night. Neither have I, but I have been hated and feared. You cannot relate to that. I'm sorry that you did not know these things before…I didn't know all of these things that I do now before, too. But now I do. And when I finally realized that you could not help me, my love for you left, and I decided to cut our relationship short. Call me a jackass or bastard if you want. Yeah I didn't consider your feelings. And I'm sorry that I did what I did. But this is the way things have to be. Just don't think that there never was anything between us."

Ky's hateful expression faded a little, but not completely. At least he got an honest explanation though…

"I see," he said, wiping the blood from his mouth. "..I…guess that I'll just go back to the office…goodbye Sol…" he said nonchalantly before turning away from the both of them, picking up the thunderseal in the process, and started to leave them, heading back into the forest. Sol and Testament watched him go, then turned around to watch the predicament between Millia rage and Venom unfold. Venom had so far succeeded in stunning Millia with a forceful thrust of the pool stick into her stomach, and followed this action with a swift kick to that same area, sending her stumbling backwards and falling onto the ground.

"GET UP!" he ordered brutally, approaching her downed body. As he did this, several blonde strands caught hold of his arms, and then his legs, restraining him from any movement for the time being.

"Anything you say, dear," she smirked before hurling his body into the ground several times before she stood, retracting the blonde tentacles. Venom groaned in pain, but still stood, panting, for it'd been quite a long duel between them, and he was beginning to grow tired. She could see this, for as she approached him, his stance was beginning to falter.

"What's the matter?" she hissed. "Tired already? Ready to give up and join Zato?" she sneered. Venom shook his head. Shaking off the weary feeling. 

"No..no, it's not going to be this way! I **_WILL_** AVENGE YOU, ZATO!!" he swore as he charged toward her now. Millia waited until he was within range, then prepared to strike his heart and pierce it. However, as her blonde strands shot out to end the weary assassin's life, several white wisps that resembled hair tangled themselves within her own hair, and restrained her action.

"Don't..you dare.." the voice of Zato said as the white strands pulled Millia's struggling hair backward, away from Venom's chest as he'd stopped, still within range of her strike.

"Wh—what?" she growled as she staggered backward as well, finally breaking free of the other's hold and spinning around to see how such a thing was possible. There, within the doorway of the manor, stood Zato, panting tiredly as the fatal wound given to him slowly sealed.

"Rule number one, Millia Rage…always make sure that your victim is _dead _before leaving the body.." he panted, rising finally to his full height. Venom stood there, mouth agape as he beheld Zato, joy returning to him again as he wanted to speak…but could not find any appropriate words to express his feelings. Millia took a step backward, clenching her jaw.

"H..how?" she stammered. Zato groaned as he stretched lightly, allowing the white entity around him to return inside his body, and smiled at her honestly.

"The same as you…with the exception that I am very much alive…and not the walking dead, as you are, my dear Millia," he began as he slowly went down the stairs, ignoring the awed expressions of those that were of the Jellyfish Crew. "But…I knew there was something else wrong when you tried to kill me…because _the real _Millia Rage, undead or not, would never be jealous of myself and Venom's being together. No. I knew her all to well to gather that much…even as I bled in front of her body. Something has possessed her body…and manipulated her past thoughts into hatred….no….this is not you, Millia. I can feel it…but you are there. Somewhere, you are in there," Zato went on, approaching the still Rage and placing either hands on each of her cheeks, and whispered faintly, as so only the Millia inside and he could hear…with the exception of Venom.

"_Where are you, Millia? This is Zato…alive…my eyes are pure..you can see them now, if you want. I want to know how you can to be once more…I am sorry Venom had to kill you…I truly am..but vengeance is not the answer._"

The death-ridden scent that belonged to Millia's body left slowly, and a gentler personality graced her face. It was Millia…the real Millia, rather…and she proved to be so by smiling broadly, tears forming in her eyes.

"Zato…I'm sorry. This wasn't my fault…none of it was…there is something controlling me…I'm fighting it now, even as we speak."

Zato glanced in Venom's direction a moment before looking back at her again, and dared to ask.

"Who? Who is doing this to you? And why?" 

Millia began to cry now, burying her face into Zato's shoulder.

"It's Slayer! Slayer and his wife! Zato! Zato you and Venom must stop them before they destroy the Guild! They..they tricked me! They manipulated my emotions into hatred, and then slayer controlled that feeling from then on! I'm so sorry..I..I'm..—Ggh…ghnn.."

Millia could no longer continue. Zato had taken her life now, by piercing her lung and heart with a quick stab via the "pure" shadow that he now possessed.  He sighed as he felt the blood from her mouth pooling upon his shoulder, starting to slide down and spill onto his arm, and her last breath exhale onto his shoulder before she again passed away. Letting her body fall the ground, Zato then looked at Venom, who was looking back at him.

"This is going too far. He is beginning to fall into the same trap as I had..going as far as to perform dark rituals, simply to gain more power…but the difference between him and myself is that I never killed anyone to get power."

Venom nodded in agreement as he held his side in pain, approaching Zato.

"I see…I…fought so hard…heh..I thought she killed you," he admitted. Zato chuckled lightly.

"Yeah..so did I.."

"What?" Venom asked, thinking all the while that Zato had deceived her. Zato nodded as he spoke the truth next.

"Yes, Venom..I really did think that I might die. But..it seems that Dizzy's power is indeed extravagant…whatever she did to the parasite that resided in me, it was for the better, because I began to heal slowly the second she stabbed me."

Venom looked at Zato as he had when Dizzy first revived him…it was almost as if he'd been dead for just about the same amount of time before…and then…magically, he was revived again. For once, in almost forever, Zato publicly expressed his affection and embraced the slightly pained Venom within his arms, hugging him as though he would never see him again, or had not seen him in forever. Everyone around them seemed to disappear for the time being as this event unfolded, and their whispers floated from one's mouth to the other's ear.

"Thank you for standing up for rightful vengeance," Zato whispered into his ear. "Even though I could hear your voice and not see you while I was unconscious, I felt honored hearing you say that."

Venom closed his eyes beneath the curtain of white as Zato said this. Zato's words made the pain that had been nagging at him for so long go away. It was almost obsolete, even. Slowly….very slowly…Venom found the words that before could not be released…and let them flow out on a string.

"Zato..I didn't know you heard…I…was so worried...more so enraged, thinking that she killed you," Venom admitted. Zato sighed, feeling sleepy against Venom during the moment. More or less because of his lengthy regenerative process in the past few minutes. For the next five minutes or so, they remained that way, locked in an embrace, silent, and grateful that the other was still alive. While this happened, Sol and Testament looked on with the same silence. May and Dizzy looked on as well, struck with the same silence. Everyone watched as the two assassins stood still with one another, silently praising the other for his actions and staying alive. But like all things…the silence was broken.

"Isn't this.._tender_?" a cruel tone echoed through the winds, causing everyone to look around them. Venom and Zato, whose eyes were once closed, opened slowly, an indefinable expression scrawled upon their faces as they unlocked in the embrace and turned exactly in the direction that the voice came from.

"Slayer," Venom said in utter disgust. Indeed, it was the nightwalker himself, for he emerged from the shadows of the trees almost as soon as his name was spoken, polishing his monocle before placing it over his right eye, and grinning afterward. 

"You rang?" he sneered, watching all of them in the process. Zato stepped ahead of Venom, and raised a finger in Slayer's direction.

"You had no right to bring her back from the dead. It was shameful enough that she had to suffer another minute of pain, let alone from you and you damned spouse!" Zato cursed.

"Now, now, Zato. Watch what you say. You may have had the upper hand on me before..but now, everything is different. And when I say everything, that is exactly what I mean," Slayer threatened. Zato's eyes narrowed faintly.

"Simply because you think that you have the upper hand does not mean that I will not kill you, Slayer. Mark my words," Zato said in return coldly. Slayer chuckled.

"Oh my dear, dear Zato…you really think that I have come unprepared?" he asked. Zato looked around his surroundings a moment briefly before returning his gaze to Slayer.

"Prepared or not, I will kill you nevertheless!" Zato swore. Slayer shook his head.

"So naïve. Sharon, take care of them, will you love?" Slayer said. In an instant, an unbelievable amount of pain shot through both Zato and Venom, causing them to grit their teeth and fall to their knees in under a minute, clasping the earth within their hands.

"Sh..Sharon…st—stop!" Venom roared as best he could as he could feel his insides squeezing together.

"He…he…agh….he's using you, Sharon!!!" Zato gasped. Sharon stepped out from behind a mess of trees, a bright blue light encasing her body as she stared at both of the assassins.

"That is not true! You were the ones that used Slayer! He was the one that started this guild! You were so power hungry that you plotted to overthrow him! You had been planning it all along, hadn't you Venom!" she accused, pointing at venom and causing him even more pain.

"Wh…what?" Venom breathed as best he could. "What are you talking about!!?! I never wanted to overthrow him! He wanted to end the guild because Zato died…I never wanted that to ha—happen! I didn't even know that it was possible for Zato to be resurrected!!" he admitted. Sharon's brows twitched.

"Lies! Stop lying! You didn't bury Zato where you should have—with all the other dead assassins! You buried him off in some forest so that you could resurrect him and overthrow the guild, didn't you?!"

"N—no!" Venom groaned. "I buried him outside the normal grounds because…that is where I had always wanted him to be buried if anything happened! Somewhere safe…the dark forest..where the Gears were said to be…because..I knew that no one would dare tear the forest down..and that the Gears would always protect it!! I..wanted to be buried there alongside him!! Agh..! If you don't…believe me…ask the Gear that resurrected Zato!!" Venom yelled as best he could, despite the pain. In an instant, the pain was lifted from the both of them, and they were left to breathe scarcely on the ground.

"A Gear…? A..Gear resurrected Zato?" Sharon asked in near shock.

"Yes..it was me…I…I resurrected Zato," Dizzy admitted as she stepped forward amidst the others. Sharon stared at her in awe nearly at hearing those words.

"Why..? Why did you resurrect Zato?" she asked. Dizzy shook her head.

"Because…Venom was so sad without him..so much so, that I could feel it…I may be a Gear…but I am not as everyone says. I want to make everyone happy…I don't want this world to be full of hate or sadness or sickness or death…and to start…was with Mister Venom," she admitted. Sharon's fists clenched as she heard those words. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes, as she was beginning to become angry.

"Then why…why wouldn't you help the rest of us?! There are others who suffer more than Venom has! Why him?!" she yelled. Dizzy shook her head.

"I'm sorry…I just started to do this. And, believe it or not, I think Venom would not have went a day more without Zato had I not offered that which I did for him…so..his situation was more important at the time being than anyone else…I'm sorry."

Sharon's tears began to flow now in anger as she directed her power toward Dizzy, causing her to fall to her knees and wail in pain as well.

"My family was murdered when I was a child! Why didn't you resurrect **_them_**?!" she screamed. Dizzy cried out in pain as she held her head.

"I'm sorry! Please stop! You're hurting me!!" Dizzy yelped. Testament growled, and was about to save her, but Sol stopped him.

"What are you doing?!" Testament yelled. Sol simply shook his head.

"Don't move. She'll be fine," he simply answered.

As Sharon increased the pain, however, something glimmered amidst everyone. And when the metallic glint faded away, everyone was in shock.

"_Mist Finer_!"

-End Ch 8-    


	9. Fade to Black

**-Chapter 9: _Fade to Black_-**

Johnny sheathed his blade after the burst of wind from his previous attack died down to a whisper. Everyone was silent, awed by his unbelievable timing and speed. Dizzy gasped little as she dared to peek from underneath her shield of folded arms. Sharon stood motionless in front of her, her mouth agape as she seemed to be struggling for breath. And as Dizzy looked downward a bit, she saw why. Sharon was clasping her chest, while blood seeped in between her fingers, flowing over them slowly. Johnny smirked.

"That's what you get for screwing around with the Jellyfish Pirates," he said casually. "Sorry that it had to be this way, though."

Sharon, still wide-eyed, looked at Slayer, hoping he would do something. Slayer was looking back at her, his eyes widened slightly as well. Only the difference was that he looked more afraid than saddened.

"…Sharon…" he murmured, watching his wife's last breath flow from her before she collapsed finally upon the ground, dead. Seeming to snap out of his bewildered state, Slayer rushed to her side, only too late to do anything.

"…No…you can't die…" he whispered. She was supposed to be eternal…how could this happen? Why did this happen?! Instantly, his monocle gleamed in the moonlight as he looked at Dizzy, anger growing in his heart. Dizzy seemed to back away some.

"I…I didn't mean to," she whispered. Everyone, including Johnny, looked at her now.

"'Mean to' what?" Bridget asked as he hopped down a few stairs from the entrance of the manor. Dizzy looked at all of her friends before sighing, closing her eyes.

"..I…nullified her abilities the second I felt Johnny's presence…but..I didn't mean to….Undine…Undine did it to protect me…so..when Johnny struck….it was too late for her…I…I'm sorry…" she confessed. Johnny nodded understandingly.

"Well she did a damn good job…and right on time at that."

Slayer growled as he stood, leaving Sharon's body where it lay.

"You've taken my wife…and my guild away from me…" he murmured. "So now….Venom…all of you…I will take away what all of you hold dear! Your loved ones—and your lives!!!" he swore before bringing both of his arms over his head in a crossed manner, causing an odd black form to spray upward from the earth and dance around him.

"Zato, I was not kidding when I said that I was prepared for you this time!! However much you love Venom, now would be a good time to confess it now, because you will not remember him once I am finished with you!!" he roared. Zato silently watched Slayer while standing ahead of the others.

"I will say nothing because nothing will become of me," he growled. Venom would have spoken as well, but something within his heart told him to remain quiet and watch. Slayer smiled evilly: this was just as he wanted it! For as the dark entity swirled around him again and again, it began to take on many different shapes…but… final version of it was the one that haunted Zato the most. It looked remarkably like…

_…Eddie…_Zato thought to himself bitterly, instantly putting up his guard. The purified version of this "copy" instantly came forth, forming a wall between the old parasite and the new. Slayer grinned.

"Perfect.." he whispered before he let his arms fall, and  left the dark parasite to jet forth toward Zato and his shield. Venom watched in horror as the dark parasite met with that which was pure and slowly began to consume it. Zato cried out painfully as this happened, and tried his hardest to back away…to get out of the mess of grey that was starting to consume him. Gritting his teeth, Venom launched himself at the mess of parasite and flesh, managing to grasp what felt like Zato's arm, and pulled with all his might. He was not alone however, for Dizzy, May, Bridget, and Johnny offered their assistance in attempting to free Zato from the predicament. It seemed to be a failing attempt however, until a trail of fire and an odd magenta demon of epic proportions appeared to come from either side of Slayer, and engulfed him, weakening the dark parasite's hold upon Zato and his purified entity. Testament sighed as he motioned for the crow to attack Slayer now, which she did by forming a scythe in her hand and, after warping quickly to Slayer's direction, delivered it into the left side of his neck. Slayer, who did not sense the demon's presence, was taken aback, and thus the parasite's hold upon Zato was broken completely, and it shattered into shards of black, fading into nothingness thereafter. Sol sighed as he held the fireseal, looking at the others as they were trying to wake an unconscious Zato. Testament watched as well, but then decided to approach Dizzy, who was still studying Zato's barely breathing body.

"He's holding on…but barely," she deduced as Testament stopped a few feet or so from her. 

"He is fighting whatever the shadow left inside of him," he corrected her. Dizzy looked at testament oddly.

"How do you know?" she asked. Testament closed his eyes, giving a bitter expression as he continued.

"I can hear him screaming silently still. This is no longer a physical battle."

Venom stared at Zato's sweated face, watching his breaths slow and hasten from time to time at an abnormal rate.

"..You all…unh…seem…so shocked..ggh…to see him like this…' Slayer managed to chuckle as the scythe from Testament's minion was left within his neck. Whatever the blade of the scythe was made out of, it was something out of the ordinary, for it wouldn't allow Slayer to heal, even after he pulled it out. Instead, he seemed to be bleeding more profusely.

"Shut up. You're gonna die anyway," Johnny reminded him with a sharp tongue before continuing to help look over Zato. Slayer chuckled almost cynically.

"Yes…and join my wife in death as well, I suppose…but…know this: Even though I am about to die…there will be justice…" he said before he could feel his life force slipping away, and he slowly began to pale with growing death until he finally collapsed on the ground, dead. Everyone stared in disbelief at his body…and the blood pooling around it. Slayer was finally dead. Finally. Returning their concerns to the still alive Zato, they now relied heavily on testament and his connections with the ethereal plane.

"What is happening so far?" Venom asked, for he could not rely on Testament's facial expressions alone. Testament raised an arm, allowing the demonic crow to perch open it before he could respond.

"The screaming is stopping….more of a fierce tone now..as if he is battling harder…and possibly may emerge victorious if he manages to maintain this flow."

Venom seemed to grow more concerned than joyful as he heard this, and watched Zato's struggling breaths grow faster in pace once more.

"His heart is beating too fast," Johnny said. "Testament, you sure he's gonna live through this?" he asked. Testament shrugged.

"I am unsure…it feels as though he may…but events can always turn for the worst in any case," he said truthfully. Sol approached the group now, examining the hyperventilating Zato before making a deduction of his own.

"Put him out of his misery. It doesn't look like he'll die peacefully this way."

Venom shot Sol a glare that promised an insufferable death if Zato were to be executed by his hands…or anyone else's for that matter.

"Don't speak such a thing in my presence again," he warned. Sol said nothing, but silently wished that they would end Zato's suffering anyway.

"Dizzy, can't you do something?" May asked. Dizzy chewed on her lower lip a moment.

"I…I'm not sure…Undine used a lot of energy…and I don't know if I can handle it with her help.." she confessed.

"Try anyway," Johnny goaded her. Dizzy looked a bit unsure before placing her hands over Zato's heart, and began to concentrate hard. There was so much going on within Zato, that she could not find the source of his discomfort.

"It's hard….to find what is bothering him so much…"

"Keep trying," Venom said, motivating her to push her powers a bit further. Finally, something crossed her mental path. A cloud of darkness where evil was beginning to gather, slowly consuming Zato's purified interior entity at its source—his heart.

"I found it.." she announced. "But it is concentrated evil…I don't know if I can absorb it…" she whispered. As she doubted herself, something within her bade her to do otherwise: Necro.

_Dizzy…if it is concentrated and pure, I can use it to a great advantage. The last resurrection I performed, I wasn't given anything in return, and had to use Undine's energy. Now would be a greater time than any to reimburse me…  
  
_For once, Dizzy was happy to hear from Necro.

"Everyone, stand back! Necro is going to absorb the evil!" she instructed. Everyone did as told…even Venom, who was silently grieving in the process. After being cleared of any potential casualties, she allowed Necro to occupy her mind fully—a dangerous thing to do, but it had to be done. Everyone around her watched as Dizzy placed her hands over Zato's stomach, an eerie howling noise screamed through the trees and air. Zato's swift breaths seemed to die all at once before his back arched fully, and he let out a blood-curdling scream. Dark light surrounded the both of them as dizzy titled her head backwards, eyes closed, and the rest of her body followed suit until she collapsed backwards on the ground, breathing slowly…tiredly.

"Dizzy!" May, Bridget, and Johnny all chimed at once before hurrying to see if she was okay.

"Are you okay?" May asked. Dizzy nodded faintly before placing a hand over her forehead.

"I feel so tired……Testament…is it gone….?" She asked wearily. Testament looked about his surroundings a moment before answering.

"…To my knowledge, yes. I feel nothing from him now."

-

Ky sat upon a rock, watching the stars silently as he lamented over what Sol had said to him. From what he'd gathered, he'd not done anything wrong..! But…then again..this was Sol…someone who was anything but typical or normal.

"I guess…this is the end, hm?" he sighed, closing his eyes. "Everything is over…"

"What is, sir?" a female tone asked. Ky blinked a few times before looking over his shoulder. 

"Officer Russel," he said faintly. "Oh..I…meant nothing…" he said sadly. The female officer took it upon herself to sit on the ground, beside Kiske's stone that he'd chosen, and looked into the night as well.

"Are you sure? You seemed a little broken up over something. Heartache?" she asked. Ky wanted to lie, but it hurt so bad to even kid himself like that that he told the truth anyway.

"I..yes…yes, you're right."

"What happened?" she asked.

"I…I'd rather not talk about it. What did you find?" he asked, changing the subject quickly. Officer Russel sighed, deciding not to revert to the previous subject.

"Whatever the news article was about, it was out of date or something. I found something that resembled a place where a bomb could have went off…but as to who did it…no clue."

Ky bit  his tongue. He knew. It wasn't a bomb. It was Sol  Badguy and the fireseal.

"You sure you okay?" she asked again. Ky closed his eyes and shifted his head elsewhere.

"Yeah…I'm fine…" he muttered.

"Sure you don't want to talk about it?" she asked. Ky looked a bit more mournful than before as the next words spilled from his lips.

"Alright….but after I tell you…promise that you relay this to any other soul…"

Officer Russel smiled brilliantly.

"I would never do that to you, sir," she said honestly.

-

 Zato sighed as he lay on his bed again, after several hours of examination by Dizzy and Venom. Now, he finally got some time to rest. But that didn't mean that he would not be under the ever-watchful eye of Venom, who was posted beside his door, hiding his concern for him behind that curtain of white as always. Zato smiled faintly before looking at the ceiling. He wanted to sleep, but…

"Don't be afraid. If you have a nightmare, I will wake you," the voice of Venom reassured the oncoming thought of insecurity that would have come from Zato.

"How could you tell if I were afraid or not? I could be reminiscing.." Zato said in return, challenging Venom's light gift of telepathy.  Venom smiled underneath the ivory curtain.

"I felt your insecurity."

Zato chuckled as he tried to sleep again. Try as he might to bury the feeling of insecurity with other thoughts, it wasn't working.

"What was it like….having the old parasite inside of you again?" Venom finally dared to ask. Zato finally had an excuse not to fall asleep…but then the memory of those past few hours of battling the dark shadow was equally haunting. Still…he went on to tell the adventures that went on within his subconscious.

"It was like..the nightmares I had…only you weren't there. Eddie…the dark shadow that possessed me before…no…killed me…he was trying to overthrow the purified parasite that Dizzy had provided for me.. the only difference between then and now is that _I_ had control over the better shadow…while before…it slowly began to control me. It was beginning to win…I could feel my heart dying…I couldn't see, either. Everything was pitch black, but I knew that there might be a way. I was determined that I wouldn't let it happen again. The first time it was my own fault…but this time..no, I couldn't let it happen again. Whenever Slayer died, it begin easier for me to see what I was fighting…those glowing red eyes..those claws…he cut me up brutally…but I see that it was only mental pain, because there are no physical scars on my body."

Zato paused to turn his head and look out of the window.

"It was like a million pieces of you scattered all over..and I had to pick them up before dying…it felt impossible to do…"

"But you did it, did you not?" Venom asked, a single pool of deep blue gleaming softly in the moonlight. Zato said nothing in return at first, then breathed a faint reply.

"..Yes…but it was not easy..several times I thought I might die. The entire time in my subconscious, there was pain…severe pain…burning as though someone had skinned me alive. I had never felt so vulnerable as I had then."

Venom nodded gently before pushing himself off of the door, and approached Zato. Kneeling beside the bed, Venom rested his head upon the sheets, and clasped Zato's hand within his own.

"But the pain is over now…" he whispered. Zato sighed. He wished he could agree with Venom….but he couldn't.

"No…it's not over…what has happened is only a prelude to the future…I saw it as I fought with that demonic shadow…and…after I rest…I will tell you….and them.."

-End Ch 9-


	10. Justice

**- Author's Note-**   
  
_There will be certain parts within this story where lyrics from P.O.D's "Sleeping Awake" and Unloco's "Failure" will be used. If you've never heard these songs, it would be wise to hear them…beautiful composition.   
  
  
_

**-Chapter 10: _Justice_-**

**  
**| **_Maybe I..._**

I didn't seem to have a thing left to say 

**_I bottled it far away_**

**_And maybe I..._**

I tried too hard to find someone to blame **Or maybe it's me who changed**

**_And now I'm left with nothing..._**

**_Again_**_ **|  
  
  
**_****

            Testament exhaled silently as he watched the still lake and its periodic rippling due to the force of the wind. There were no outward expressions to determine what he was feeling internally, nor were there inward feelings that could produce an external expression. He was simply quiet, admiring the natural wonder set before him.

"It's…different.." Sol said, breaking the lengthy silence between the two as he sat beside Testament, watching the lake as well.

"What is?" Testament asked. Sol looked at him a moment before looking back into the quiet waters.

"….Never had any time t'sit and think like this before. I'm starting to realize why…and how you became the optimist that you are," he said. Testament chuckled faintly.

"I'm not optimistic….I simply am honest with reality, is all."

| **_So what if I lost everything?_**

Would you want me if I was a failure? 

**_So what if I lost everything?_**

**_Would you be there even when I am gone? _**|  
  
Sol smirked, hearing that, but, for once, decided to remain quiet. They were finally alone…and still. For, usually, it had always been Sol's following Testament or Testament simply appearing from nowhere to give his thoughts on a matter and either disappearing or walking elsewhere again.

"My minion brought something has brought something to my attention, Sol," Testament said, breaking the silence again. Sol stared at the water still. If that damned demon said anything false about him….

"Eh? Like what?" he asked. Testament shifted his crimson gaze toward him a moment before responding.

"She has simply informed me that she has felt your ominous presence multiple times and has felt for some time that you were a threat to me. I too felt that presence…but over time it has dwindled. I would like to know the reasons behind it," he said. Sol smirked faintly.

"Damn. I forgot that you were a Gear…oh well. I guess you figured out that I really was trying to push that old feeling down, didn't you?" he began, scratching his head a moment before continuing. "Well, I guess I gotta say it's because…I don't want you to think that I just wanna kill you or anything…and I really like you…and seeing as how you can just about see everything coming, there would be no point in trying to go the sneaky route anyway."

Testament laughed faintly.

"You believe that I can foresee anything?" he said, a tinge of sarcasm in his tone. Sol shrugged.

"Well, hell you either blocked or evaded everything _I_ could throw at you, so what other deduction is there to make?" Sol said, pointing a finger in Testament's direction.

"You were simply putting more power into your attacks than speed…making you slower and easier for me to find a way to evade it," Testament confessed. Sol was about to give a counterstatement, but Testament had made a very good point, leaving no room for any type of argument, for it'd be useless.

"Good point," he said, lowering his finger in defeat. "But obviously you're not good enough to evade me all of the time," he said with a surreptitious smirk. Testament looked at Sol again.  
  
  
| **_Baby, I..._**

I didn't seem to give everything away 

**_Not because I needed you to stay_**

**_And I..._**

**_I couldn't face the fears I've lived for being hung_** |

"What has brought you to believe so?" he asked, but before he could get a response, he was tackled by Sol, and had both hands restricted above him.

"Experimentation, that's what," Sol replied before leaning in a bit more upon Testament.

"So what now, Speedy Gonzales?" Sol challenged with a grin. Testament sighed, his crimson pools drifting over Sol's shoulder a moment before he responded.

"I could just as easily have her dispatch you right when you did that…"

  
| **_I've tried to answer every question_**

**_To why I'm left with nothing..._**

**_Again _**|  
  


Sol wanted to curse underneath his breath, but didn't, and made a mental note to preoccupy that stupid demon from now on.

"So why haven't you, then?" Sol asked. Testament looked a bit odd for a few seconds, but nevertheless, responded honestly, as always.

"Because I haven't felt a flutter of human feelings in so long, yet I do now. And never have I been subjugated, yet here I am now. The only thing stopping me from killing you is my wanting to relish the moment…nothing more."

  
| **_Maybe you could take all the pain inside me_**

**_And now I feel like this was all for nothing_**

Cause I'm left with nothing 

**_I'm left with nothing..._**

**_Again_** |  
  
  


Sol blinked a few times. Did that actually just come from _Testament's_ mouth? He didn't want to say anything and possibly ruin the moment, so instead, Sol opted to take advantage of the situation  and lean in a bit closer, separating their breaths by a mere inch or so.

"Pleasure over pain? That's a first for you isn't it?" Sol murmured. Testament's jaw clenched momentarily as rush of chained human reactions pulsed through him before he could respond properly.

"Honestly…I cannot remember anything but pain.."

Sol breathed gently against his cold skin, smirking momentarily as he too could feel those reactions from testament rushing through his dead nervous system, reviving it slowly.

"I can make you forget all that pain in the next five seconds," he said with a grin.

"And your own pain?" Testament asked. Sol scoffed gently.

"Unlike you, I ditched that a long time ago," he said, afterward enveloping the lifeless flesh that was so cold..yet it warmed underneath his own lips. Testament's demonic underling silently watched underneath the cover of her raven guise, perched a few yards or so from their location. Not wanting to intrude upon her master's privacy, she took to the skies, deciding to admire the dark forest on her own, as she sometimes did until her master would call for her. Subconsciously, she smiled, knowing that he was beginning to turn for the better, than the worse.

_Take care of him, Gear Hunter…my master's heart is beginning to beat again…don't make it stop…don't cause him more pain…keep him happy. It's better that way, even if he doesn't see it. I do._

-

"Dizzy?" May murmured as she approached the Gear that lay in one of the guest beds within the manor of the Assassin's Guild, wide awake and staring out of the moonlight window. Dizzy blinked a few times, then looked at May, who was now sitting on the floor beside the bed, looking at her.

"Yeah?" she asked, noticing that May was looking a bit saddened and confused. "What's wrong, May?" she asked.

"Do you think that Bridget likes Johnny?" she asked. Dizzy had never thought about it before, but now that she did, there was a slight possibility. But then, Bridget was the same way with everyone on the ship. Why should Johnny be any different?

"No, I don't believe so…he's the same with everyone."

"Oh.." was all May could say in response. Dizzy pushed herself up a little so that she could sit, legs folded, upon the bed, looking down at May.

"What makes you believe that he likes Johnny?" she asked. May shrugged gently.

"I dunno…I guess it's just me being jealous over Bridget being so happy all of the time…and his innocence…"

"And the fact that you like Johnny yourself?" Dizzy added with a smile. May blushed gently, chuckling a little.

"Yeah…and that. How did you know?" she asked a little meekly. Dizzy smiled.

"I can tell…you're very protective of Johnny without knowing it, May," she said. May blinked a few times.

"Yeah…like when we were outside the mansion and you scared Bridget to death with your worrying about Johnny that you caused him to go find him…"

May chuckled a bit more faintly now.

"Oh..ehh..yeah, I remember that. Sorry I exploded like that…"

"It's okay, May. Bridget's your best friend, isn't he?"

"Of course!" May chirped. "But I guess it was because of the fact that he _is_ my best friend upped my suspicions a little."

Dizzy nodded as the tip of her tail thumped gently against the pillow behind her.

"I remember when I first joined you all…Johnny was such a flirt…but then when he got used to me, we felt like siblings…kind of like the way I feel about Testament."

May blinked a few times.

"I thought you liked Testament?" she said. Dizzy chuckled.

"Yes, but not in the way that you feel about Johnny, May. Testament is more of a brother to me than anything. No one has ever done so much for me as he has. Yet…he is so secretive and secluded. He seems to think that pain is the way he should live, now that he is a Gear…I've tried to convince him otherwise, but he doesn't want to listen. But…I think now that Sol Badguy is the only person capable of changing his heart…despite their history together.."

"Why? What were they like before?" May asked. Dizzy sighed, looking through the window at the moon again.

"Worst enemies…Testament was very spiteful…and coupled with Sol's contempt for Gears…they fought brutally. I think my talking with Testament often softened his heart enough to where whenever Sol approached him without wanting to fight, he wouldn't take advantage and kill him. Sol's reasons for throwing away his contempt for Gears, however…I can't say that I know why he did that…maybe something happened that I do not know about."

"You must have talked a whole lot for you to manage to change Testament's heart about people," May said. Dizzy laughed a little.

"Actually no…I never saw him much…but when I did, I said what mattered most…because of everyone, I am the only one that he will consider listening to…"

May listened to what Dizzy said, and leaned back against the back, looking at the moon now as well.

"You know what Dizzy? I'm glad you brought Mister Zato back for Venom…when we all were helping him free Zato from that weird blob thing, I saw the expression on his face a little when the wind blew his hair back a few times…I see why he wears it that way, over his face. He looked so sad…horrified…scared. And he tried so hard…like if Zato was going to die again, he would have to go with him. It was saddening..and noble at the same time." May said, hugging her knees close to her chest. Dizzy nodded in agreement.

"But it's over…Zato fought very hard…I see now why Venom stood outside his door for so many hours as he slept. The both of them are so good to each other…especially now that Slayer is dead."

"But still, Dizzy…I can't help but wonder what he meant when he said that there would be justice," May said. Dizzy looked at the sheets on her bed before sighing.

"I think I may know…I tried channeling Testament a while ago, but—," Dizzy paused a moment to blush and chuckle faintly. "His spirit wouldn't respond."

May blinked a few times.

"Wha? Why would he ignore you like that?!"

Dizzy laughed before shaking her head.

"No, he wasn't ignoring me, May…if he was, I wouldn't have gotten to his spirit in the first place…it's just that he was preoccupied with something more important."

"But wasn't what you had to say urgent?" May asked. Dizzy shook her head.

"Nothing is more important to me than Testament's happiness…and I am sure that he feels the same thing that I have felt these past few days…only my premonitions came in dreams..or brief periods of what felt like memories…while his simply comes to him at any given moment. It sometimes feels like we are twins," Dizzy said smiled a bit more broadly. May tilted her head a little.

"I wish I knew how it felt to have a brother…" she said. Dizzy looked down at her.

"Well..technically, he isn't related to me…but sometimes, I like to believe so because we are so close. You feel like a little sister to me, sometimes, too, May. And Bridget, too."

May looked up at her.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes…all of you are like family to me," she confessed. "And that's why I do what I can….for all of you. Even the assassins here."

-

Johnny toyed with a pen as he stood out on the balcony outside his guest room, given to him by the assassins. Still no luck with the ladies! Why were they so damn uptight here, anyway! He missed the Mayship…and its crew…especially the crew. Well, as long as Dizzy felt insecure about leaving her other friends alone here, he supposed that it was only right that he stay until her premonitions would stop. He'd taken off his hat finally, and had thrown in onto the floor, beside the bed. Also, he'd done away with those sunglasses, leaving them upon the nightstand. Sighing, he cupped his face into both hands as he slouched forward against the balcony, wondering how it was that he ever came to letting May talk him into these things. Oh…that was right—she always promised beautiful women. She never lied though…but it really wasn't any fun if he wasn't gaining the company of any of them, either!!

"Hi Johnny!!" the chipper tone of Bridget sung as he bounded Johnny's side.

"..How did you get in here?" Johnny asked, muttering a little.

"The door was unlocked!"

Johnny immediately cursed himself underneath his breath. He forgot that he'd left it open for any women that would happen to be playing coy with him…but obviously that wasn't going to happen tonight.

"What's the matter? You look sad," Bridget said, looking a little concerned. Johnny shook his head.

"Nothing that would have anything to do with you, Bridge. You wouldn't understand, anyway."

"Why wouldn't I?" Bridget argued, pouting some. Johnny laughed.

"Trust me, you wouldn't get it. You're too young to understand."

"I'm not a baby, though, Johnny! You can tell me! I'm your friend, too, you know!" Bridget protested. Johnny sighed.

"Fine…fine, kid. You really wanna know that bad, huh?" Johnny murmured. Bridget nodded enthusiastically in reply, causing Johnny to chuckle a little.

"Well…it's just that I wish one of these ladies here would gimme a chance, y'know? There tons of 'em here, but I always get the same thing, over and over again…kinda makes me sick, sometimes. I mean, I could be a pervert like all these other guys, but I'm not! Seriously, I wish they'd hear me out…just once, even.." he sighed. Bridget smiled broadly.

"Aww, Johnny needs a hug!" he yipped before hugging Johnny with all his might. Johnny sighed. 

"You're not helping, Bridge," he muttered. Bridget let go, looked at him oddly, then seemed to get another idea.

"I know! Roger can give you a hug!!" he announced before that creepy teddy bear that Johnny detested so much appeared before his eyes, causing him to step back a few paces.

"Um…Bridge?…I'd..rather not get a hug from Roger.."

"Why not?" Bridget whimpered.

"Because…honestly he freaks me out.." Johnny confessed. Bridget sighed.

"Fine.." he muttered, waving his hand dismissively and causing the bear to disappear. "Then when will you cheer up?" Bridget asked. Johnny rubbed his temples a moment before he replied honestly.

"Whenever I can get laid, that's when I'll be happy, Bridge."

"But you just said you're **_not_** a pervert, Johnny! Did you change your mind or something?" Bridget asked. Johnny shook his head quickly.

"No! I didn't mean it like that…!! I meant..egh..nevermind.."

"What did you mean, then?" Bridget asked. Johnny shrugged, walking past Bridget and into his room, flopping back-first onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Just forget it, Bridge," he sighed. Bridget made an odd face before running and pouncing upon Johnny's sprawled body on the bed.

"_Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaase_ tell me!!!" he whined. Johnny groaned as Bridget's weight pushed him further into the mattress.

"I will when you get off of me," he groaned. Bridget sprung off of him and landed next to him in a sitting position, bouncing a little before settling down. Johnny sat up beside him, and scratching his head a few times.

"Really…I dunno if you can comprehend this, Bridge…I mean, you're just content with that frickin' yo-yo and that bear that creeps me out," Johnny began, sighing. "But I guess you're gonna have to find out eventually, anyway, eh? Well this is what's wrong with Johnny…he's bored. He's tired. And he's sick of women ignoring him," he said as he looked out of the window. Bridget was busy knowing gently on a thumb.

"Well if you're tired, why don't you just take a nap?" he offered. Johnny shook his head.

"Can't sleep, kid. Tried it already—," he began, but was interrupted by the summoning of that teddy bear again.

"Me and Roger can help you sleep, Johnny!!" Bridget offered. Johnny again leaned back, away from the teddy bear. "Fine, whatever you want, Bridge! Just make that damn bear go away!" he shouted. In an instant, Roger disappeared, and Bridget clasped his hands together.

"Okay!"

Johnny was beginning to regret those words already…

"Christ…_now_ what're you gonna torment me with? That stupid yo-yo?" he muttered. Bridget shook his head.

"Nope!" he yipped happily. "A pillow!" Johnny sighed.

"You're gonna torture me with a pillow?' he murmured. Bridget frowned a little.

"Nooo! I'm gonna put you to _sleep_ with the pillow! Now lay down, and at least try to sleep, okay?" he instructed, slapping the pillow down, a distance far enough from Johnny's sitting position so that when he laid back, the pillow met his head perfectly.

"So what now? I'm just supposed to _go to sleep?_" he said, a bit of sarcasm in his tone. Bridget chuckled faintly.

"Yeah! I'll help," he said, nestling a few fingers within Johnny's lengthy blonde tail before humming sweetly; a lullaby that his mother used to sing for him and his sister when they were younger. And, just as he calculated, Johnny was fast asleep within minutes, snoring softly. Smirking proudly, Bridget re-summoned Roger—this time a less intimidating one—and settled him beside Johnny before pushing himself out of bed.

"Be quiet, okay Roger?" Bridget said in a hushed tone before sneaking out of Johnny's room, and gently closed the door behind him. Yawning sleepily himself, Bridget rubbed an eye before starting off toward his own guest room.

_I told ya I could make you happy!_

-

  
| **_Reveal to me, the mystery _**

**_Can you tell me what it means?_**

**_Explain these motions and metaphors_**

**_Unlock these secrets in me_**

**_Describe the vision, the meaning is missing_**

**_Won't anybody listen?_** |

  
Venom was still awake, sitting up in bed beside Zato, who lay, slumped over onto his shoulder in a slumbering state while Venom supported his weight and had wrapped an arm snugly around his waist, silently watching the moonlit sky. After Zato had told him…told him about what was to come…he couldn't sleep. The only reason Zato was able to sleep was because of his great amount of exhaustion. Venom held his sleeping body even closer now as he recalled their conversation…it hurt to think about it..but the memory playing itself over again anyway.

_"We need to rest and muster all the strength that we have, Venom…"_

_"Why? What else is there to come? Slayer and Sharon are both dead…please don't tell me that they may be coming back again."_

_"No, no…they're dead, I'm sure of that…but something else is coming…whatever Dizzy was having those premonitions about…the time for them to come true is drawing near…and I don't think that any of us want to be around when it happens…"_

_"So what is it? What is coming?" _

_"I'm unsure…but whatever it is, it is worse than all that has happened prior to this point and time. I couldn't place it…but whatever Slayer said, I could feel it…the presence of a curse he spoke to you all before he died…and whatever the curse was, it's nearing its touch to us all."_

"That vicious bastard!! He will never truly leave us alone, will he?" 

_"Not until we are dead with him…it's sad that Sharon had to go with him…but she was fooled..and chose to believe her husband over us all…even if it meant her own demise…"_

"True…but it had to be done…for us. And as I have before..I will make sure that whatever this is that is nearing us…I swear upon my life that I will let nothing happen to you…" "Noble…but if you die, then who am I to be left with? You should know, of all the others, how painful heartache can become…how destructive it is." 

_"Then…I will protect the both of us…and strive as hard as I can to stay alive.."_

_"So will I…"_

Venom sighed again after the memory faded away, and tilted his head some to lean against Zato, hoping to fall asleep as well. And slowly…after many minutes had passed, unconsciousness took Venom away from the rest of the world.

|  **_Define the riddles of my mind_**

**_Nothing is really what it seems_** |

- ShuuaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! 

_-_

| **_Do you see what I see?_**

Can you hear what I hear? 

**_Do you feel like I feel?_**

**_Can't stop sleeping awake…_** |__

Testament sprung forward from the gentle embrace that he and Sol shared for the moment as they slept, eyes wide. His sudden movement jarred Sol as well, who looked just as alert as he was during the moment.

"No…" Testament whispered before springing to his feet. Sol looked angry a moment, but then that anger purified into hatred as he growled, springing to his feet as well, and grabbed the fireseal that had been dug into the ground.

"Son-of-a-bitch…" he growled, sprinting into the dense forest while Testament quickly vanished into the atmosphere.

-

Ky blinked a few times before he gasped. The thunderseal was beginning to glow…starting to crackle with fury! But that could only mean…

"No..not now…of all days, please not today.." he whispered. Officer Russel noticed the thunderseal's behavior as well, and she too knew what it meant.

"Our duty calls, sir…" she said softly…almost..regrettably.  
  


| **_Can you see it - the writing?_**

**_Can you tell me what it means?_**

**_Translate, the symbol's enigma_**

Expressions keep questioning me 

**_The message, it slips and the meaning is missing_**

**_Won't anybody listen..._** |

-

"EVERYONE WAKE UP! IT'S HERE!!" Dizzy yelled loudly as she flew through the halls of the manor, alerting May and the others before bursting through the door. Dawn filled the air..but there was no happiness in the air. No birds chirping. Everything was dark, despite the dawn. And she knew why.

| **_Prophecy_**

**_Interpretate the signs_**

**_Nothing is really what it seems..._** |

"Gears, reunite and let us begin once more our campaign!!"

Justice. Alive. Very much alive. But how?!?! It didn't matter anymore. They had to get rid of him right now!!

"Justice, you sneaky bastard, what brought you back?!?!" Sol challenged as he stepped from within the forest, fireseal pointing at the monster. Justice's eyes narrowed before he made a sound that sounded like laughter.

"To claim what should be ours!! The lives of all humans!!" he roared. Testament appeared beside Sol.

"Humans may be disgusting in my eyes…but all of them should not be eradicated at once.." he corrected the monster. Justice's eyes widened some before his mouth opened a little to try and form a gruesome grin.

"Another Gear that dares defy me?!" he chuckled before Testament began to feel numb all over…and then he couldn't feel anything anymore but anger..hatred. His posture had changed slightly, as well, but not enough for those unfamiliar to him to notice. Dizzy was the first to notice the dullness of his eyes.

"Testament! What is the matter with you?!" she yelled as she rushed to approach him.

"STAY BACK!" Sol yelled, stopping her in her tracks. "He's under Justice's control! Let me deal with him. You all just work on getting rid of Justice!" Sol instructed before a fierce yell from Testament drew his attention, and he quick blocked a downward swing from the scythe with his fireseal.

"Hurry up!" he growled. Dizzy called forth all the power that she had as she charged towards the independent Gear, wincing as Undine and Necro sprouted forth from her wings and delivered several powerful bursts of energy forth, yet each onedid not even phase the monster a bit. Determined not to fail, Dizzy staggered a moment before collapsing upon her knees.

"Undine, protect me…Necro destroy this monster, please…please.." she breathed before an unbelievable amount of pain shot through her body and she screamed, her body arching back a little as bursts of light and energy sprouted forth from all about her, bombarding Justice almost infinitely. Growling some as he began to feel slightly weakened by the force of the multiple blasts, Justice took a few steps back before letting out a painful scream.

"_SSSHHUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"_ he bellowed, compartments upon either of his shoulders opening and firing a massive beam of what seemed like endless energy toward her. Dizzy whimpered and was shielded by Undine, praying that she would live by some miracle.

| **_Do you see what I...see?_**

**_Can you hear what I...hear?_**

**_Do you see what I see?_**

**_Can you hear what I hear?_**

And do you feel like I feel? 

**_Can you dream like I dream?  _**|

"Gh…hnn…hnnaaaah!" the voice of Zato groaned as he stood in front of herm the white shadow spread fully around the both of them, absorbing as much of the blast as possible before it ended, leaving Zato to stagger some before raising a hand toward Justice while he panted tiredly. Justice chuckled faintly.

"Humans…so weak and eager to die.." he began, motioning with his tail toward the duel between a controlled Testament and Sol Badguy.

"Yet a Gear can battle heartlessly for hours on end! Look at this splendor! A Gear fighting without fear, while..this…disgusting prototype…a mock of our title…fights with his emotions..for love." He mused. Sol blocked another attack from Testament before shoving the hilt of the fireseal toward's Testament's stomach, only to find that he disappeared seconds before supposed impact and reappeared behind him, quickly swinging the scythe at his back.

…You were simply putting more power into your attacks than speed…making you slower and easier for me to find a way to evade it…

Sol quickly spun around in time to drive the scythe into the ground, and then quickly sweep Testament to the ground with a foot. Before he could get up again, the fireseal could be found at his throat, ready to strike if he dared to move. Sol wasn't going to kill him, but he'd converted his entire being to that of the time when he was once known as the "Gear Hunter" so that Justice could not trace his feelings. Justice growled faintly before his claws curled into a fist.

"Useless! I see that I will have to destroy all of you by my own hand! Very well!" he growled before a red light flashed momentarily but brightly upon his chest. Zato gasped wearily, readying himself to attempt to absorb another attack.

_Venom…don't watch.._he thought as he could feel Venom's desperate longing to aid him…but Venom, once he'd seen the true power of this being, he'd deduced that the best he could do was get Zato out of there alive..but…how..?

"**_Ride the Lightning!_**"

Justice growled faintly as he spun around, preparing to unleash the beam of red death upon the Holy Knight as punishment for interrupting his vixtory.

"Ha!" a female tone yelled as a second blade of unknown but obviously powerful origin was jammed into the armored chest of Justice, whose eyes widened greatly.

"Gaaah!" he sputtered as he struggled with the blade, to pull it out, only he found that a second—the thunderseal—was to be jammed within it alongside the first.

"No! No I am the ultimate being!" Justice cried as he swiped blindly with his claws at the knights. 

| **_ Anybody see me?!_**

**_Anybody hear me?_**

**_Anybody feel me?!_**

**_Anybody out there!? _**|

"No longer," Ky whispered as he watched Justice gasp a few times, fighting death. To deliver him to it quicker, Kiske's accomplice shoved a foot into the hilts of the blades, causing the monster to roar with pain before falling backward onto the earth, still dying as the thunderseal delivered the final blow, electrocuting his insides brutally before flickering a few times and stopping its crackling frenzy. Ky sighed as he pulled the blade from Justice's chest, while his accomplice did the same, and looked over Justice's body.

"Banishing you isn't enough….it's better this way…"

Testament breathed a few times after Sol pulled the fireseal away from his throat, and embraced him briefly.

"You're back," he sighed. Testament looked a bit odd.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That bastard was controlling you…Justice…but its over now..they killed him…"

"How did he come back?" Dizzy asked as she stood from the ground, approaching Sol and Testament while Venom followed, aiding a weakened Zato to walk as well.

"Slayer.." Venom said. "Zato said that he muttered some kind of subconscious curse…whatever it did, it resurrected that thing again…"

"Someone needs to torture his soul in hell or something," May said as she, Bridget, and Johnny emerged from safety within the manor. As Sol helped Testament to his feet, Testament slowly spoke..

"It can easily be arranged…might I remind you…" he murmured. May grinned. 

"Really?" she snickered. Bridget nudged her some.

"Be nice, May!" he said, causing her to grumble something incoherent. Dizzy sighed as she looked at the sky, smiling some.

"You know…now that he's dead…I feel so much more at ease…" she admitted.

"Yeah..so does that mean we can go home now?" Johnny asked. May frowned.

"You just wanna see the crew again!" she accused, causing Johnny to flail a little and defend himself.

"Whoa, May, I uh..um…nevermind.." he uttered. Bridget burst into fits of laughter through it all, earning a glare from both May and Johnny. And Dizzy, through it all, loved it that things were already returning to normal.

-

"So what is there for us to do now, now that everything is over?" Venom asked. Zato sighed as he leaned against his chest, watching the sunrise from the safety of their room. It was quiet again. The Jellyfish Pirates had gone…and, as usual, Sol and Testament disappeared into the shadows of the forest again, along with the two knights that had left after reporting the demise of Justice to their coworkers. What else was there to do for them, though?..Ah yes..take care of old business…

"Millia, Slayer, and Sharon…" Zato whispered. Venom curled a few fingers against the cheek of Zato to caress it fondly before thinking some.

"They've all been buried…properly this time…"

Zato murmured something incoherent a moment before taking Venom's hand, and kissing the palm of it.

"Then there is nothing other than the business of reporting this properly to the others…re-establishing the guild's functions…and then…my thanks to you for everything you've done for me. Thank, you Venom.."

-Fin-


End file.
